Moscow: The Russian military says it has launched a barrage of cruise missiles at Ukrainian military facilities.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that the military struck a range of Ukrainian military installations with long-range Kalibr cruise missiles.
He said that since the start of Russia’s attack Thursday, the military has hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, including 14 air bases and 19 command facilities, and destroyed 24 air defense missile systems, 48 radars, seven warplanes, seven helicopters, nine drones, 87 tanks and eight military vessels.
Konashenkov didn’t say how many Ukrainian troops were killed and didn’t mention any casualties on the Russian side. His claims and Ukraine’s allegations that its forces have killed thousands of Russian troops couldn’t be independently verified.
Konashenkov claimed that the Russian military has taken full control of the southern city of Melitopol, about 35 kilometers inland from the Azov Sea coast, and said Russia-backed separatists have made significant gains in the eastern region of Donbas.
Meanwhile, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital said that a missile hit an apartment building but no casualties were immediately reported.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the missile slammed into a high-rise building on the southwestern outskirts of Kyiv near Zhuliany airport on Saturday. He said rescue workers were heading there.
He posted an image on a messaging app, showing a gaping hole on one side of the building that ravaged apartment units and several stores.
Russian troops were pressing their attack on the Ukrainian capital, trying to advance on the city from several directions. The Russian invasion of Ukraine began Thursday with massive air and missile strikes and ground troops moving in from the north, east and south.
