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Russia Launches Extensive Missile and Drone Attacks on Ukraine
Explore the latest developments as Russia intensifies its military campaign with extensive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. Understand the implications of these strikes on the ongoing conflict and international relations.
Escalating Attacks: Russia Strikes Ukraine with Renewed Fury
In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Russia unleashed a new wave of missile and drone assaults on Ukraine early Tuesday, targeting not only the capital, Kyiv, but also several major cities across the nation. This onslaught marks a significant intensification of the bombardment campaign that commenced a day earlier, representing one of the most extensive military offensives of the ongoing conflict.
The barrage resulted in direct hits on various locations, including a hotel in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, which tragically led to the loss of lives and injuries. Simultaneously, the attacks ignited brush fires in parks throughout Kyiv and triggered air raid alerts in numerous regions, highlighting the widespread danger faced by civilians.
Over the past year, Russian forces have periodically launched large-scale offensives, typically around once a month, in a bid to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense systems. These operations often involve a complex combination of drones and missiles launched from multiple axes, illustrating a strategic approach aimed at stretching Ukraine’s defensive capabilities to their limits.
The recent bombardment, which began on Monday, carries additional weight given that it comes just three weeks after Ukrainian military forces executed an incursion into the Kursk region of Russia. In response to this unprecedented breach since World War II, President Vladimir V. Putin had vowed a decisive retaliation. Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, reinforced this stance on Monday, asserting that Russia would deliver an “appropriate response” to the provocation.
Whether the attacks that unfolded this week serve as that promised retaliation remains uncertain. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the missile and drone strikes on Monday as “one of the largest” his nation has endured since the onset of the Russian invasion 30 months ago.
On Tuesday, the tragic fallout of the assault became apparent when a ballistic missile struck the hotel in Kryvyi Rih, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuring five others. The head of the regional military administration, Serhiy Lysak, shared the grim details via a post on Telegram, accompanied by harrowing photographs that depicted the collapsed ruins of the Aurora hotel.