KYIV, Ukraine — Russia conducted a heavy aerial attack on Ukraine for the third time in four days Thursday, again launching missiles and scores of drones that mostly were intercepted, Ukraine’s air force said.
Russian forces fired five missiles and 74 Shahed drones at Ukrainian targets, an air force statement said. Air defenses stopped two missiles and 60 drones, and 14 other drones presumably fell before reaching their target, it said.
Authorities in the capital, Kyiv, said debris of destroyed drones fell in three districts of the city, causing minor damage to civilian infrastructure but no injuries.
Russia’s relentless and unnerving long-range strikes on civilian areas have been a feature of the war since it invaded its neighbor in February 2022.
Ukrainian officials have recently become more vocal in their long-standing insistence that Western countries supporting their war effort should scrap restrictions on what Ukraine is allowed to target inside Russia with long-range weapons they have provided.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his pleas for Western allies to untie his hands in deciding what to strike on Russian soil.
“All our partners should be more active — much more active — in countering Russian terror,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday. “We continue to insist that their determination now — lifting the restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine now — will help us to end the war as soon as possible in a fair way for Ukraine and the world as a whole.”
The European Union’s top diplomat on Thursday backed Zelenskyy’s push for international backers to end their limits.
Ukraine has deployed domestically produced drones to strike Russia.
The Russian military said Thursday it had thwarted an overnight attack on Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces destroyed three Ukrainian sea drones aimed at the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
The Russia-installed governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev added that four Ukrainian aerial drones and three sea drones were destroyed “at a significant distance” from the peninsula’s shore.
In the meantime, Ukraine’s Army General Staff acknowledged Thursday Ukraine’s involvement in strikes this week on oil depots deep inside Russia, where blazes broke out.
The attacks in the Rostov and Kirov regions were part of Ukraine’s effort to disrupt logistical infrastructure supporting Russia’s war machine.
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Russia has once again launched a heavy bombardment of Ukraine, marking the third such attack within a span of just four days. The ongoing conflict between the two countries has escalated in recent weeks, with Russia increasing its military presence along the border and launching multiple attacks on Ukrainian territory.
The latest bombardment targeted several cities in eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk and Luhansk, which have been at the center of the conflict since 2014. The attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and widespread destruction, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The international community has condemned Russia’s actions, with many countries calling for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The United Nations has also expressed concern over the escalating violence and called for all parties to respect international law and human rights.
Despite the mounting pressure, Russia shows no signs of backing down, with President Vladimir Putin vowing to protect Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine. The situation remains tense, with fears of a full-scale invasion looming large.
The conflict in Ukraine is a complex and multifaceted issue, with historical, political, and ethnic factors at play. The ongoing violence has displaced thousands of people and caused immense suffering for civilians caught in the crossfire.
As the world watches with bated breath, the hope remains that a peaceful resolution can be achieved through diplomatic means. The people of Ukraine deserve to live in peace and security, free from the threat of violence and aggression. It is imperative that all parties involved in the conflict prioritize dialogue and negotiation to end the bloodshed and pave the way for a lasting peace.
