June 23rd 2024.
In the midst of escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, devastating news emerged on Sunday when the Russian government announced that six people had lost their lives and over 100 were injured in a series of drone and missile attacks launched by Ukraine. This comes as the second day of Russia's aerial bombing of Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine, resulted in the death of at least one person.
According to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol, a port city in Russia-annexed Crimea, five of the casualties were innocent civilians, including two children who were hit by falling debris from Ukrainian missiles that had been shot down over a coastal area. In addition, another person was tragically killed in Grayvoron, a city in Russia's Belgorod region that borders Ukraine, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
The situation in Sevastopol was particularly dire, with 124 people reported injured by the city's health ministry. The falling rocket fragments also sparked a forest fire of over 150 square meters and set a residential building ablaze. It was later revealed that a fifth missile had exploded over the city.
Blaming both Ukraine and the United States for the deliberate targeting of civilians, Russia's Defense Ministry condemned the use of ATACMS missiles in the Ukrainian attacks. In response, Razvozhayev declared Monday a day of mourning in Sevastopol, canceling all public events.
Meanwhile, Russia's western regions of Bryansk, Smolensk, Lipetsk, and Tula were also under attack, with the Russian Ministry of Defense reporting that 33 Ukrainian drones had been shot down overnight. Thankfully, no casualties or damage were reported.
The city of Kharkiv was once again targeted on Sunday, resulting in the death of one person and injuring 11 others, according to local officials. Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that the city had been struck by a guided bomb, and half of Kharkiv was left without electricity as a result of the attack. This followed a previous bombing on Saturday afternoon, where four aerial bombs hit a residential building and claimed the lives of three people. As of Sunday, 41 individuals were still being treated for injuries sustained in the attack, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video address following the attack, calling on their allies to assist in bolstering their air defenses. He stressed the need for advanced air defense systems such as Patriots, accelerated training for F-16 pilots, and weapons with sufficient range.
In addition to the attacks on Sevastopol and Kharkiv, two people were also wounded when two Russian missiles were shot down over the Kyiv region overnight, according to Mykola Oleschuk, Ukraine's air force commander. And in the partly occupied Donetsk region, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported that two people were killed and four were injured in Russian attacks on Saturday.
Amidst these tragic events, the Ukrainian Navy released photos on Sunday confirming the destruction of a warehouse in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. This warehouse was allegedly used to launch and store Iranian-designed Shahed drones and resulted in the deaths of training instructors and cadets. While Moscow has yet to comment on this report, air defenses in the region shot down a number of drones on Friday night, according to officials.
As tensions continue to escalate, the situation in Ukraine remains tense and uncertain. It is clear that the civilian population is bearing the brunt of this conflict, and it is crucial for the international community to take action to protect innocent lives. Reporting from London, this is Morton for AP, bringing you the latest updates on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Stay tuned to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage on this developing story.
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