Thursday, March 2, 2023

Russia Ramps Up Airstrikes In Massive Bombardment Of Ukraine

Russian launches 28 airstrikes in massive bombardment of Ukraine
Karen Faulkner


Ramping up its attacks on Ukraine, Russia launched 28 airstrikes in 24 hours on Monday, including the use of Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones, Newsweek reports. Monday reportedly also saw Ukrainians bombarded with a further eight Russian rocket attacks and 55 shellings.

The number of airstrikes carried out on Monday were more than double the number of Russian strikes launched a day earlier, on Sunday (13), and the day before that, Saturday (11), Newsweek said. The airstrikes targeted several areas across Ukraine, resulting in the death of two emergency workers in the western city of Khmelnytskyi.

In his nightly televised address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commended Ukraine’s airforce but reiterated his belief that fighter planes are required to protect the country. “Our pilots, together with our anti-aircraft gunners, together with all the warriors and specialists of our Air Forces, are already doing a great job,” Zelensky affirmed.

“The day began with an attack by Iranian drones,” Zelensky said. “Three employees of the State Emergency Service in Khmelnytskyi were wounded, two were killed … that is why we need the aviation component of air defense—modern combat aircraft—to protect the entire territory of our country from Russian terror.”

“Air defense is complete only when it is backed by aviation. Modern aviation,” Zelensky attested. “We will be able to fully protect the sky when the aviation taboo in relations with our partners is lifted.”


Ukrainian saboteurs hit by ‘massive strike’ – Moscow

RT


Kiev's operatives who had crossed into Russia’s Bryansk Region on Thursday have been forced back into Ukrainian territory and hit with a “massive artillery strike,” the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has said.

Earlier, the Russian military and security services reported that saboteurs had crossed into the Bryansk Region bordering Ukraine and launched raids on several local villages. At least two civilians were killed in those attacks, which also left a child injured, the local authorities said.

“In order to avoid civilian casualties as well as damage to civilian infrastructure, the enemy was pushed back to Ukrainian territory, where they were hit with a massive artillery strike,” the FSB told the Russian media. “A raid by the Ukrainian nationalists in the Klimovsky District of the Bryansk Region has been thwarted.” 

In a separate statement earlier the same day, the FSB said that a large number of explosive devices of various types had been found in the area. Bomb squads were deployed to disarm the explosives. Bryansk Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz also reported artillery and mortar strikes in the area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin branded the incident a “terrorist attack,” calling people responsible for such acts “neo-Nazis and terrorists.”He also suggested that those behind Thursday's raids might have also been behind the assassination of Russian journalist Darya Dugina, whose car was blown up near Moscow in August.

Russian regions bordering Ukraine have regularly come under attacks by Kiev’s forces since the start of the ongoing conflict. The local authorities in Bryansk and Kursk Regions have repeatedly reported shelling by the Ukrainian forces, which has sometimes resulted in civilian casualties.


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