- Zelenskyy is wagering on a fresh Ukrainian missile system.
Following a pair of intense Russian air assaults on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky offers his fellow citizens reassurance with pledges of native defense weapons. During an event in Kyiv, Zelensky unveiled the successful test-firing of a self-designed ballistic missile, commending Ukraine's military sector while giving no specifics.
Previously, Zelensky showcased yet another Ukrainian-made creation, the Palyanytsia, a supersonic combat drone. However, Ukraine finds itself at a significant disadvantage compared to Russia in terms of firepower.
The most recent Russian barrage has led to at least five casualties, as per Ukrainian authorities. Two individuals tragically lost their lives when a hotel in Kryvyi Rih was hit by a rocket. Initial reports of drone strikes on Saporizhzhia indicated two fatalities, subsequently revised to three. "We will surely retaliate against Russia for this and all other attacks," Zelensky conveyed through X, a social media platform. "Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished."
Thousands of individuals flock to Kyiv's metro for safety
The nighttime air raid alarm prompted around 52,000 people in Kyiv to seek sanctuary in underground metro stations, serving as shelters. Flying debris ignited grass fires on the city's eastern outskirts. The military administration of the Kyiv region reported the destruction of all objects approaching Kyiv. Disturbances and casualties were reported in the Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Khmelnytskyi regions.
Ukraine's air force reported the interception of 5 Russian cruise missiles and 60 out of 81 deployed drones. Three hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles and two Iskander missiles managed to evade detection. Although military statistics lack granularity, they shed some light on the attack's magnitude.
Experts speculate that the attack again targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure. On Monday, Russia launched an assault with 127 missiles and cruise missiles, together with over 100 combat drones - the most significant number reported by the Ukrainian military in two and a half years of conflict.
Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets were mobilized to counteract the heavy Russian attacks on Monday and Tuesday morning, Zelensky revealed. He reiterated his calls for Western allies to lift constraints on the utilization of supplied weapons against military targets within Russia. "The Olympics are over, but the ping-pong match continues," he remarked, comparing the proceedings.
Since initiating its advance into Russian territory in Kursk, the Ukrainian army has apprehended approximately 600 prisoners of war, according to Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. This captive exchange fund has considerably strengthened, Syrskyi remarked during a Kyiv conference. After three weeks, Ukrainian troops control 100 settlements and nearly 1,300 square kilometers of Russian land, despite military assessors questioning the precise territory size.
Ukraine estimates 30,000 Russian soldiers stationed in Kursk
In an attempt to fend off the Ukrainian offensive, Russia deployed almost 30,000 soldiers in the Kursk region, with additional reinforcements on the horizon, Syrskyi disclosed. While this strategy effectively moved troops to the region, Russian attacks have not subsided, particularly in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian forces are under immense pressure, according to all reports.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities in the Belgorod region asserted that Ukraine was plotting further incursions across the border. The Belgorod region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported tension but maintained order through a Telegram update. Unverified media accounts suggest skirmishes at the Nechoteyevka crossing and at Shebekino. The Ukrainian side has failed to respond to allegations of hostilities.
In response to the Russian attacks, President Zelensky vowed, "We will surely retaliate against Russia for this and all other attacks," using X, a social media platform. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to pose significant challenges, as Ukraine estimates 30,000 Russian soldiers stationed in Kursk, attempting to fend off the Ukrainian offensive.
