Kyiv, Ukraine: At least 19 people were killed in Russian drone attacks targeting three Ukrainian cities on Thursday, while Moscow claimed its air defence systems had intercepted 1,214 Ukrainian drones across 19 Russian regions, including 613 allegedly directed at Moscow and its surrounding areas.
READ MORE : Russian missiles pound Kyiv as Moscow says over 800 Ukrainian drones downed
The attacks came amid a humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshki and surrounding areas in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. Arrangements were underway to deliver humanitarian assistance and evacuate civilians from the affected areas.
Russian Drone Strikes Kill at Least 19
According to Ukrainian reports, three separate Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities claimed at least 19 lives on Thursday.
In Dnipro, located in east-central Ukraine, a daytime Russian strike targeting the city’s railway station killed at least 14 people and injured another 14, according to preliminary figures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “atrocious”. He also criticised recent decisions by the United States and the European Union to ease certain sanctions against Russia.
The United States recently lifted sanctions on Russian diesel, while the European Union removed Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list in September.
In the northern city of Chernihiv, a separate drone attack during peak hours killed two 15-year-old girls. Meanwhile, a third strike hit an apartment building in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine, killing three people.
Moscow Claims Interception of 1,214 Ukrainian Drones
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence systems had intercepted 1,214 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight across 19 regions.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that most of the 613 drones reportedly targeting the Russian capital and surrounding areas had been intercepted before reaching their intended destinations. However, three airports in the Moscow region temporarily suspended operations for approximately two hours.
The Kremlin highlighted the scale of the reported drone attack as Moscow hosted the third Russia-Africa Summit, a two-day diplomatic event that concluded on Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also addressed the humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine’s Kherson region, which has been in effect since Tuesday to facilitate aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians seeking to leave Russian-occupied Oleshki and nearby areas.
Putin credited US First Lady Melania Trump with supporting efforts to secure the truce and organise the humanitarian operation.
“An (humanitarian) operation has been planned for these very days, today and tomorrow, with the support of the First Lady of the United States, specifically to provide assistance to the civilian population,” Putin said.
Demining Operations Underway Ahead of Humanitarian Mission
Russia’s Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that military engineers from the Dnieper military grouping were clearing routes leading to Oleshki, a town occupied by Russian forces in 2022.
“The roads adjacent to the city are being cleared of unexploded ordnance to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians,” the Russian military said.
The ministry further claimed that most of the explosive devices and mines were of Western origin and had allegedly been deployed by Ukrainian drones.
However, Kyiv has accused Moscow of laying mines that are obstructing humanitarian supplies and preventing civilians from leaving the area safely.
Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Yulia Lantratova and her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, travelled to the area on Thursday to oversee preparations for the planned humanitarian operation.
The developments underscore the continuing intensity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, even as diplomatic and humanitarian efforts seek to provide relief to civilians caught in the fighting.
SOURCE : EFE. | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
