Russian drone and missile strikes kill six including two children in Ukraine, as fighting intensifies around key eastern city of Pokrovsk.
KYIV: Russia launched a wave of drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, killing at least six people including two children.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated the attacks, which also wounded a dozen people, demonstrated Moscow’s intent to harm civilians.
He announced that Kyiv had strengthened its air defences in response to the assault.
Russia has rejected United States calls to end its nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, continuing its ground offensive while resuming strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Both nations reported making advances in the intense fighting around the crucial eastern city of Pokrovsk.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general confirmed six fatalities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, including two children.
The victims were identified as two boys aged 11 and 14 by Ukraine’s human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.
Russian attacks caused power outages across the entire eastern Donetsk region and nearly 58,000 homes in southern Zaporizhzhia.
Ukraine maintains these energy infrastructure strikes primarily target civilian morale, an accusation Russia denies.
The overnight assaults followed Ukraine’s deployment of special forces to Pokrovsk, where Russian troops have infiltrated the logistics hub.
Hundreds of Russian soldiers have penetrated the city while others encircle its outskirts in a pincer movement.
Capturing Pokrovsk would deliver significant propaganda value to the Kremlin, which refuses peace negotiations on current front lines.
Zelensky reported successful operations against Russian forces in Pokrovsk during his Sunday evening address.
Russia’s military earlier claimed the destruction of Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk city centre and near the railway station.
October saw Russia fire more missiles at Ukraine than any month since at least early 2023 according to AFP analysis.
Zelensky announced enhanced Ukrainian air defences with German support amid ongoing requests for allied assistance.
He specifically thanked Germany and Chancellor Friedrich Merz for strengthening Ukraine’s Patriot air defence systems.
Ukraine retaliated against Russian energy attacks with drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Tuapse port set an oil tanker ablaze and damaged port facilities early Sunday.
A Ukrainian security source confirmed damage to the Rosneft-owned Tuapse oil terminal from five drone hits.
Social media images showed multiple fires at the port though Russian authorities provided no immediate comment.
President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February 2022, calling it a special military operation.
Kyiv and European allies condemn the war as an unprovoked land grab causing massive violence and destruction.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers while displacing millions of Ukrainians. – AFP
