In a continued escalation of the aerial war between Russia and Ukraine, Russian officials claim to have foiled a Ukrainian attack on Belgorod, a border city. The authorities reported intercepting a dozen missiles aimed at the city, which had suffered 25 casualties in a Saturday attack. Russia's retaliation follows its largest aerial bombardment to date. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleges that Russia unleashed 300 missiles and 200 drones over a five-day period.
The renewed aerial assault began last week when Ukraine responded with an attack on Belgorod, resulting in over 100 injuries. In his recent address, President Zelensky highlighted that Russia fired nearly a hundred missiles on Tuesday alone, strategically calculated for maximum damage. Despite the intensity, Ukraine claims to have downed ten hypersonic ballistic missiles on Tuesday.
Early Wednesday, Ukrainian officials reported over 130 casualties from Tuesday's attacks, affecting major cities like Kharkiv and Kyiv. Across the border in Belgorod, one person was killed and five injured on Tuesday. However, Russia's air defense system successfully intercepted the 12 missiles aimed at the region overnight.
Overnight blasts were also reported in Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-occupied Crimea. A missile targeting the port was shot down, with no reported casualties or damage. The Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, acknowledged the ongoing bombardment and emphasized the need for more weapons to counter Russia's aggression.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to escalate strikes in response to recent Ukrainian attacks on Belgorod. The situation remains tense, with both nations engaged in an increasingly intense aerial conflict.
Note: This news story is based on the information available at the time of writing and may be subject to updates.