Ukraine launched a new attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, with officials in the annexed Crimea peninsula saying air defenses downed at least one drone.
The attack was reported on Saturday morning – a day after explosions occurred near military bases In the Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine and Russia itself – Came on the same day that 12 civilians were reportedly injured when a Russian missile hit a residential area in a Ukrainian town.
Vitaly Kim, the governor of Mykolaiv, said four children were among those injured in an attack that destroyed several private homes and a five-storey apartment building in Voznesensk, about 19 miles (30 km) from the Pevdenoukrainsk nuclear power plant.
He added that a young girl lost an eye as a result of Saturday’s attack.
Although there appeared to be no significant damage after the drone attack (UAV) on Sevastopol, which has not been independently verified by the Guardian, observers said it demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to do so. Deep strike behind Russian lines in prestige goals.
video Subscribed to Twitter It appears to show Russian air defenses trying to destroy the drone and plumes of dark smoke rising from the city.
Mikhail Razvogayev, the governor of Sevastopol, wrote on Telegram that a drone had hit the roof of the headquarters on Saturday and said that there were no casualties, the Russian news agency reported. tast.
“I am in [Black Sea] Fleet headquarters now. A drone hit the roof here 25 minutes ago. Unfortunately, it was not shot down… There were no injuries,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces had killed a total of 44,900 Russian soldiers – an increase of 200 from the previous day.
On Friday, the United States said for the first time that it would provide Ukraine with ScanEagle reconnaissance drones, mine-resistant vehicles, anti-armor rounds and howitzers in a new £655 million aid package to aid its efforts to retake Ukrainian territory.
“These capabilities are carefully tuned to make the most difference on the battlefield and strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table,” Anthony BlinkenThe US Secretary of State said.
Cautious optimism prevailed on Saturday, as two more grain ships left the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, bringing the total number of Ukraine departing from the Black Sea under a U.N.-brokered deal to 27.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the sailors and said on Saturday that governments and the private sector should cooperate to bring Russian food and fertilizer as well as Ukrainian grain to world markets under the deal agreed last month.
“The other part of this comprehensive deal is unhindered access to world markets for Russian food and fertilizer that are not subject to sanctions,” Guterres told a news conference in Istanbul. “It is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring it to market.
Wednesday marks six months of war in the region since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While Russia made gains in the east, it was put on the defensive in other areas as Ukraine stepped up its attacks in Crimea in the Black Sea, which it was. It was taken over by Russia in 2014..
Last week, it was reported that a total of nine Russian warplanes were destroyed at an air base in Crimea.
Russian leaders have warned that such strikes indicate an escalation in the conflict, with the support of the United States and NATO allies.
In its latest intelligence update on the conflict, Britain said Ministry of Defense (The Defense Department) said last week that it sees “only minor changes in territorial control along the frontline.”
And in the Donbass, she said that Russian troops approached the outskirts of Bakhmut but did not storm the city. In the southwest, it reported that neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces had made progress on the front line in occupied Kherson, but added: “The increasingly frequent explosions behind Russian lines may confirm Russian logistics and air bases in the south.”