Russian officials claim to have thwarted a Ukrainian attack on the border city, Belgorod, as the escalating aerial conflict between the two nations intensifies.
A dozen missiles were reportedly intercepted before reaching Belgorod, where 25 people lost their lives on Saturday. Ukraine has yet to provide a statement on the matter.
These incidents follow Russia’s largest aerial bombardment on Ukraine to date. President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Russia deployed around 300 missiles and 200 drones over the past five days.
The renewed airstrikes commenced late last week, prompting a Ukrainian response targeting Belgorod, resulting in over 100 injuries.
In his recent address, President Zelensky disclosed that almost a hundred various types of missiles were fired on Tuesday, strategically calculated by the enemy to maximize damage.
He also highlighted the successful interception of 10 hypersonic ballistic missiles on that day alone.
Ukrainian officials reported on Wednesday that the attacks, including those on major cities like Kharkiv and Kyiv, had caused over 130 casualties across the country.
Simultaneously, across the border in Belgorod, one person was killed, and five were injured on Tuesday. However, Russia’s air defense system managed to destroy all 12 missiles targeting the area overnight.
Additionally, explosions were heard in Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-occupied Crimea, where a missile was intercepted over the port. The Moscow-installed governor reported no casualties or damage.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, emphasized that Russia’s recent bombardment was anticipated, underscoring the need for Ukraine to receive more weapons to effectively counter and send a clear message to Russia to cease hostilities.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to escalate strikes in response to Ukraine’s recent attacks on Belgorod.
Source: aljazeera.com