kyiv experienced its biggest attack “since the spring” on Wednesday morning, military authorities said after two people were killed in a missile attack on the Ukrainian capital.
“Unfortunately, as a result of the fall of debris in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kiev … two people died, according to initial information. Another person was injured,” said the head of the military administration of the Ukrainian capital, Sergei Popko, on Telegram.
“In a non-residential building” in the district, “two men were found dead”, for his part indicated the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, on the same social network, reporting that two people were injured and hospitalized.
“Night air attack. Kiev has not seen such a strong attack since the spring. The enemy launched a massive attack (…) using drones and missiles,” the head of the army said on Telegram. military administration of Kiev, Serguiï Popko, indicating that “in total, more than 20 enemy targets were destroyed” by the Ukrainian air defense.
Four Ukrainian special forces military ships destroyed
Russia claimed early Wednesday that it had destroyed four speedboats in the Black Sea that carried a total of up to 50 members of Kyiv’s special forces which Russian authorities said carried out a slew of nightly drone attacks on Russian territory.
On Wednesday at around 00:00 local time (21:00 GMT Tuesday), “an aircraft of the Naval Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet (…) destroyed four fast military ships (which were carrying) landing groups of Ukrainian special operations forces (counting) in total up to 50 people”, communicated the ministry on Telegram without providing further information.
New Ukrainian drone attacks from the sea
During the night, the air defense also worked to repel “enemy drone attacks (coming) from the sea” at the level of the bay of Sevastopol, headquarters of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea established in Crimea, informed Russian Governor Mikhail Razvojayev, before explaining that the situation was “under control”.
“The forces (prevention against submarine sabotage) have finished their work in the sea area. At the moment, there is no precise information about the number and type of targets destroyed,” Mikhail said. Razvojayev on Telegram.
Pskov airport hit
According to Moscow, kyiv directed a multitude of drones overnight against Russian territory as far as Pskov, near the Estonian border, where an airport was targeted, some 830 km from the Ukrainian capital. “A drone attack was repelled at Pskov airport, thank God (there are) no casualties,” regional governor Mikhail Vedernikov said on Telegram.
He had earlier announced that the Ministry of Defense was working to “repel a drone attack” at this location, accompanying his message with a video where you could see a large fire and hear explosions and the howl of mermaids.
According to the official TASS news agency, citing the rescue services, four Il-76 heavy cargo planes were damaged. The RIA Novosti agency reported two Il-76s having caught fire on the scene, relying on information from the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Ukrainian drones shot down in the Moscow region
In the rest of Russian territory, other Ukrainian drones were shot down according to Moscow during the night, notably managing to reach the capital region. A drone was shot down in the Ruzsky district of the Moscow region, according to the Ministry of Defense. An attack that caused no damage or injuries, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Telegram.
The regions of Kaluga and Ryazan, bordering it, were respectively targeted by one and two drones, added the Russian Defense. Moscow also said it had shot down three drones in the Bryansk region, bordering Ukraine. This attack also did not cause any casualties, according to Governor Alexandre Bogomaz, who spoke on Telegram. In the region of Orel (west), the Russian Defense said to have also shot down an aircraft – the governor himself mentioned two.
New US military aid
The United States on Tuesday announced new military aid to Ukraine amounting to $250 million, as the Kiev army waged a difficult counter-offensive.
This aid includes demining equipment and explosives aimed at destroying the obstacles installed by the Russians, but also ammunition, in particular for anti-aircraft defense systems, artillery shells and even anti-armor missiles.
This equipment will “help Ukraine counter Russia’s war of aggression” and “protect its people,” the Pentagon said in a statement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “grateful” for this new help on the X network (ex-Twitter). “Artillery, missiles, ammunition for the Himars (systems), that’s what our warriors need,” he added.
Prigozhin buried in secret in Saint Petersburg
The boss of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Evgueni Prigojine, killed in a plane crash, was buried in secret on Tuesday in a cemetery in Saint Petersburg, his company having confirmed a farewell ceremony held in private.
An AFP photographer was able to see the back of the alleged grave of Yevgueni Prigojine without being able to approach, the cemetery of Porokhovskoye, at the northeastern end of the former imperial capital having been cordoned off by a cordon law enforcement.
“The farewell to Yevgeny Viktorovich took place in private. Those wishing to say goodbye can go to the Porokhovskoye cemetery,” his company, Concord, said on Telegram.