Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned in recent days of an imminent attack by Russia, after Moscow had asked foreign embassies in kyiv to evacuate before further massive strikes.
“Putin is a war criminal and a loser whose only card is terror”affirmed on X the head of Ukrainian diplomacy Andriï Sybiga, estimating that “Moscow is losing on the battlefield.”
After more than four years of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, negotiations to put an end to this deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War have stalled. Worse, Moscow launched a large attack on several cities during the night from Monday to Tuesday. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 73 missiles and 656 drones, and said it had shot down 40 and 602 respectively. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have carried out a “massive strike” targeting only targets linked to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Plumes of smoke
Four people were killed in the capital, kyiv, and 65 injured,”including three children” according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who reported damage to “residential and non-residential buildings, and four medical establishments” in several neighborhoods. While missile explosions rang out, residents rushed to shelters loaded with bags and blankets in the streets of kyiv, where a large plume of smoke rose, AFP journalists noted.
In Dnipro (east), the authorities reported nine deaths and 35 injured. The city of Kharkiv, also in the east, was “attacked by 15 drones and two missiles” according to Mayor Igor Terekhov, Ukrainian emergency services reported 14 injured.
Moscow, which bombs Ukraine almost every night, has intensified its attacks during the day in recent months, leading to a response from kyiv which has strengthened its strikes, particularly from long distances, against Russia.
On the Russian side, a civilian was killed Monday in the Kursk region, close to the border, in a Ukrainian drone attack, said local governor Aleksandr Khinchtein. A fire broke out at the Ilski refinery in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia following a drone attack, according to the region’s operational headquarters.
American aid “absolutely necessary” –
The Ukrainian president on Tuesday reiterated his call for Western allies to support Ukraine’s supplies and stressed that US aid is “absolutely necessary” for the delivery of missiles for Patriot air defense systems. “A major attack and an absolutely clear statement from Russia: if Ukraine is not protected against ballistic and other missile strikes, these attacks will continue.”he said on X.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko judged that “every delay” in supporting Ukraine’s air defense system “coûte des vies”.
Ukraine has developed a pioneering anti-aircraft defense system against drones. But kyiv remains dependent on supplies from its allies to defend itself against missile strikes, which are more difficult to thwart.
Last week, Volodymyr Zelensky asked in a letter addressed to his American counterpart Donald Trump to provide kyiv with more missiles for the Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems, to deal with the intensification of Russian attacks.
This letter was signed last Tuesday, two days after a devastating strike by Moscow against Ukraine which involved nearly 600 drones, around 90 missiles, including the nuclear-capable Orechnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, used for third time since the start of the conflict. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that ammunition stocks for anti-missile systems are insufficient.
