:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elfinanciero/BGLPD4ZB3VG5VCW2J6Z3CTMYOE.jpg "Russian Missiles Strike Multiple Cities in Ukraine, Leaving Death and Destruction in Their Wake")
Russian Missiles Hit Cities Across Ukraine, Leaving Death and Destruction in Their Wake
Thursday morning brought chaos and devastation as Russian missiles rained down on cities across Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities, fires were ignited, and the attacks resulted in at least two fatalities, with several people trapped under rubble.
This assault marked the largest military operation by Russia in over a month. It came hot on the heels of reports of sabotage at a military airfield in Chkalovsk, located near Moscow. The timing of the attacks coincided with the United Nations General Assembly summit taking place in New York. President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, used the platform to deliver a speech and unveil his “formula for peace” on the International Day of Peace.
Meanwhile, a significant development occurred in Poland, as Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced the cessation of weapons shipments to Ukraine. This decision is part of Poland’s efforts to modernize its own military and is unrelated to the temporary ban on Ukrainian grain imports. The dispute surrounding Ukrainian grain imports has strained the once-close relationship between Ukraine and Poland and other European Union countries. The tension has deteriorated significantly since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
“We are not going to send weapons to Ukraine because now we will arm ourselves with the most modern weapons,” President Zelensky stated during an interview with Polsat News. Prime Minister Morawiecki emphasized that while Poland would defend its economic interests, it would not jeopardize Ukraine’s security. He reassured that NATO and US facilities in the Polish city of Rzeszow, responsible for transporting weapons to Ukraine, would not be impacted.
Tragedy unfolded in Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine near the front lines, when a residential building was struck, resulting in two fatalities and at least five injuries, according to the governor of the region, Oleksand Prokudin. In Kyiv, seven people were injured, including a 9-year-old girl, as commercial and residential buildings suffered damage.
The Ukrainian Air Force managed to intercept 36 out of the 43 cruise missiles launched by Russia. However, close to the front lines, Jerson was hit by S-300 shells, while Jarkiv faced attacks from other shorter-range weapons. In Kharkiv’s Slobidskyi district, six attacks caused damage to civilian infrastructure, resulting in hospitalizations, as confirmed by regional governor Oleh Syniehubov and the city’s mayor.
Cherkasy, located in the country’s center, also encountered destruction, with at least 10 injuries reported. Ukrainian Minister of the Interior Ihor Klymenko shared that one person was rescued from the rubble, but up to 23 others remain trapped, according to Governor Ihor Taburets. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to save those in peril.
In the western region of Lviv, an industrial area bore the brunt of the attacks, leading to damaged structures and a fire outbreak. Thankfully, no immediate casualties were reported, as stated by Minister Klymenko. Reports of attacks in the city of Rivne, in the northwestern region of the same name, were confirmed by Regional Governor Vitali Koval, but further specifics were not provided.
On the Russian side, the Ministry of Defense claimed that their anti-aircraft defenses successfully shot down 22 unmanned aircraft overnight. Nineteen were intercepted over the Crimean peninsula, while the remaining three were dealt with in regions close to Ukraine, specifically Kursk, Belgorod, and Oryol. Fortunately, no casualties were initially reported.
As Ukraine grapples with the aftermath of this devastating attack, the world watches anxiously, awaiting the next steps and hoping for a swift resolution to the escalating conflict.