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Russia bombards Ukraine, launches 28 airstrikes in 24 hours. Photos/Illustrations
KIEV – Military Ukraine say Russia strengthening its airstrikes against the country. According to the Ukrainian military, Russia launched 28 airstrikes in 24 hours.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a Facebook post on Monday that 12 of the 28 airstrikes were carried out by Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. Additionally, there were reportedly eight Russian rocket attacks and 55 shellings using a “jet fire system” on the same day.
Russian forces are reported to be concentrating efforts on settlements in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, while another 200 troops have been relocated to the Luhansk quadrant. The airstrikes targeted several areas of Ukraine, causing casualties in the western city of Khmelnytskyi.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in televised speeches every night, said successive drone attacks on Khmelnytskyi had left two emergency workers dead and three injured.
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Zelensky argued that the attack illustrated the need to bolster air defenses with “modern aviation.” He then appealed to his Western allies to end the “flying taboo” and aid the war effort by sending fighter jets to Ukraine.
“Our pilots, together with our anti-aircraft gunners, together with all our soldiers and Air Force specialists, are doing a great job,” Zelensky said.
“But we will be able to fully protect the skies when the taboo on flights in relations with our partners is lifted,” he added.
Ukrainian forces purportedly carried out four airstrikes of their own on Monday, targeting Russian military personnel and equipment. Nine Shahed-136 drones and one “ZALA” drone launched by Russia were purportedly destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses.
Ukraine also said on Monday that its military had shot down one Russian fighter jet in the previous 24 hours, marking a milestone of the 300 Russian jets shot down since the war began more than a year ago.
