Russia announces its military destroyed more than 70 Ukrainian military targets
"74 Ukrainian military ground facilities were destroyed due to strikes carried out by Russian armed forces," said Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the defence ministry. According to him, the destroyed facilities included 11 airfields, three command posts, and 18 radar stations for the S-300 and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems.
FollowRussia announced on Thursday that its military had destroyed more than 70 military targets, including 11 Ukrainian airfields. "74 Ukrainian military ground facilities were destroyed due to strikes carried out by Russian armed forces," said Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the defence ministry. According to him, the destroyed facilities included 11 airfields, three command posts, and 18 radar stations for the S-300 and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems.
He also stated that a Ukrainian military helicopter and four drones were shot down. According to Konashenkov, separatist forces are continuing their offensive, backed up by Russian military air support. He claimed that "armed groups of nationalists" are currently putting up resistance and that Ukrainian troops wanted to leave the area of hostilities. He claimed that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had directed his troops to "treat Ukrainian servicemen with respect."
Putin launched an offensive against Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning, following a national address that aired around 5:40 am local time. According to media reports, the first bombardments were heard shortly after in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and several other cities. According to an AFP tally of various Ukrainian official sources, at least 68 people were killed, including soldiers and civilians.
At a military base near Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odessa, 18 people were killed in the deadliest single strike reported by authorities. According to Ukraine's border guards, Russian forces have arrived in the region surrounding the capital, Kyiv. Several low-flying helicopters were seen overhead by an AFP reporter in the city's northern outskirts amid reports of an airfield attack.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, said a "full-scale invasion" was underway. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law and claimed that Russia was attacking his country's "military infrastructure," but he urged citizens not to panic and vowed victory.
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