AFP News
Deadly Russian attacks devastate Ukraine
The biggest Russian attacks on Ukraine in weeks killed at least six people on Thursday and caused power outages in the war-torn nation. Kiev’s military shot down almost half of the missiles launched by Russia over at least 10 regions as the battle for control of the symbolic prize Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine raged on. The deadly Russian barrage hit the relatively peaceful Lviv region of western Ukraine on Thursday, leaving the second-largest city of Kharkiv without electricity, water or heating, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “For months, Russia has been bombarding key facilities in Ukraine with missiles and drones – cutting off water, heating and electricity for millions of people. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people were injured and 15 percent of homes were without electricity and 40 percent without heating after explosions in two areas of the Ukrainian capital. On Prospekt Peremogy, or Victory Prospect, in western Kiev, three cars parked near a high-rise apartment building were charred and several others damaged by an attack, AFP reporters saw. The floor was littered with broken glass from windows. “Our windows face this side. There was a really loud crash,” said local resident Igor Yezhov, 60, a car dealer originally from Russia. – “Frightening” – “I was very scared of course, although we have a pretty solid building, made of reinforced concrete. Still, it was scary.” “It’s fate. People come to work at seven. You have to be more vigilant with an air raid siren.” The governor of the western Ukrainian region of Lviv said that the bodies of five people were found in the rubble after a rocket hit their house, while the governor of the eastern Dnepropetrovsk region said a 34-year-old man was killed The Ukrainian nuclear operator said the strikes also cut power to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, controlled by Russian forces and the largest in Europe, for the sixth time since it was taken over Plant now powered by diesel generators that have an autonomy of 10 days.”The countdown has started. If during this time it is not possible to renew the external power supply of the station, there could be an accident with radiation consequences for the whole world”, said Energoatom strikes were in several other parts of the Ukrai ne, including Kharkiv in the north-east and the Odessa region in the south-west, reported strikes at energy facilities. In the region’s capital, Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov said the city was completely without electricity, water and heating as of Thursday morning and was using generators. – Bakhmut could fall – In the Odessa region, Governor Maksym Marchenko said “missiles hit the region’s energy infrastructure, as well as damaged residential buildings” after a “massive missile attack”. “Fortunately there were no casualties,” he said, adding that “electricity supply restrictions” are in place. The strike wave comes after Russia reported it was making gains in the fight over the industrial town of Bakhmut, which has been the focus of months of fierce fighting Russia’s Wagnerian mercenary group, which led the attack on Bakhmut, claimed on Wednesday that it had captured the eastern part of the city.”What we’re seeing is that Russia is sending more troops, more forces, and what Russia lacks in quality.” , they are trying to balance with quantity.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Stockholm on the sidelines of a meeting of EU defense ministers on Wednesday. “We cannot rule out that Bakhmut could eventually fall in the coming days,” the head of the US-led military alliance said, adding that “this does not necessarily reflect a turning point in the war.”
