Russian Air Attacks Targets in Ukraine, Ukraine’s Air Force Reports

Russia has launched air attacks on targets in southern and eastern Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s air force. The Odesa, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions are all under threat of Russian drone attacks. There are also indications that Russia may be using ballistic missiles in its attacks. The southern port of Odesa and the Mykolaiv region, in particular, are at risk. The mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevich, described the situation as serious, with a fire breaking out in the port city on Monday. The authenticity of video footage circulating on social media, allegedly showing Iranian-made Shahed drones attacking targets in the Mykolaiv region, has yet to be verified.

The head of the Odesa region’s military administration, Oleh Kiper, has confirmed that air defense systems are engaged in repelling Russian drone attacks. He warned that several waves of attacks are to be expected. Furthermore, the regions of Poltava, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Kirovohrad are also believed to be under threat from ballistic weaponry.

Air raid alerts sounded throughout many Ukrainian regions for several hours on Tuesday morning before being called off. The situation remains tense and challenges Ukraine’s stability. Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Odesa military administration, assured the public that more details about the attack in the Odesa region would be released later.

These attacks come at a time when Russia has refused to extend a deal allowing for the safe export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. The previous year saw Ukraine’s Black Sea ports blocked by Russian warships until a July 2022 agreement allowed for the passage of critical grain exports. However, Moscow refused to extend the grain deal on Monday, claiming that Ukraine had not honored certain elements of the agreement relating to the export of Russian food and fertilizers.

Furthermore, on Monday, there was an attack on a Russian-built bridge linking Ukraine’s annexed Crimean Peninsula to Russia’s Krasnodar region. Unmanned remote-controlled boats detonated explosives at the structure, resulting in deaths and injuries. Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened military retaliation for the attack, labeling it a “terrorist act of the Kyiv regime.”

The situation between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with air attacks and threats expanding to various regions in Ukraine. Both countries are facing uncertainty and tension, with potential consequences for stability in the region. The international community closely watches these developments as they unfold.