New wave of Russian strikes reported across Ukraine
The Ukrainian authorities have reported a new wave of Russian missile strikes on the country, with explosions reported in Kiev, Kharkov, Dnepr, and Khmelnitsky regions. The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the claims.
Sergey Popko, the head of the Kiev military administration, said on Friday morning that a Russian missile attack had damaged a car wash, a private household, and a warehouse, without providing further details. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, he added.
While the official previously claimed that all incoming missiles had been shot down, DTEK energy company said that shell fragments had damaged the power grid and “completely destroyed a transformer substation” in the southern part of the Ukrainian capital.
More extensive damage has been reported in Kharkov, which is not far from the Russian border. Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the local administration, said an attack had killed at least five people, and injured more than 20. He claimed that the barrage had hit a five-story house, an administrative building, and a production facility.
Khmelnitsky Region was also allegedly affected. Sergey Turin, the head of the local administration, said an attack had resulted in a partial blackout, but no casualties or damage to property had been reported.
The authorities in Dnepr reported an attack by a Russian drone, and that the city had also been hit by Russian artillery.
Moscow has reiterated that the attacks exclusively target Ukrainian military facilities, not civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry said last month that it had stepped up strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in response to Kiev’s attacks on Russian oil processing facilities.
