Russia launches daytime barrage in Ukraine amid new military offensive

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a warning that Kyiv is facing a shortage of missiles due to increased focus on its war with Iran by the US. Russia has launched a significant aerial attack, deploying 948 drones over a 24-hour period in an apparent effort to move troops and equipment to the front line.

The attacks occurred during the day, resulting in fatalities in western Ukrainian cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Vinnytsia, as well as damage to a historic building in Lviv. Regional authorities reported two deaths in Ivano-Frankivsk and one death in Vinnytsia, while footage showed a drone crashing into an old building next to a church in Lviv.

The strikes followed an overnight bombardment across 11 regions, which killed five people, including two in the Poltava region. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has appealed for allies to supply Kyiv with air defence munitions, citing concerns about the city’s reliance on US-provided systems against ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy stated that the US is currently focused on its war with Iran and warned that this could lead to a shortage of missiles in Ukraine. He also reported that talks between Ukraine and the US have not yet resulted in a security guarantees agreement, which Kyiv has long sought from Washington.

In parallel, fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, with reports indicating that Russia had moved heavy equipment and troops to the front line. General Oleksandr Syrskii, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, stated that Russian troops had made simultaneous attempts to break through defensive lines in several strategic areas.

Source: Al Jazeera