Russia carried out a major missile and drone attack against Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, in the early hours of Thursday (2), in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks. At least 17 people died and around 90 were injured, according to local authorities. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the bombing and said the offensive hit the country’s defense infrastructure and fuel supply.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, this morning’s attack was carried out with 75 missiles and 496 drones, adding that 524 of these country’s air defense targets were shot down or neutralized. Attacks have also been reported in other regions of Ukraine besides the capital.
“The distinctive feature of this massive attack is the simultaneous use of several types of air attack weapons from different directions, the use of a large number of ballistic missiles and jet drones,” the statement said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared on social media that the “air defense forces managed to shoot down a significant number of attack weapons, but not all”.
According to the latest reports from local authorities, 17 people died and approximately 90 were injured as a result of the bombing, but this number is expected to increase as the removal of the rubble progresses. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) said rescue teams were working in 15 locations.
Moscow claims attack was retaliation
The Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, stated that the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive attack against Ukrainian defense industry enterprises, military infrastructure facilities, logistics centers and energy facilities that support the production of weapons and drones.
“Radioniks LLC, a component assembly and radioelectronics company, was hit in Kiev. It is a major research and production facility that manufactures guidance systems for Flamingo long-range cruise missiles, FirePoint-7 and -9 operational-tactical missiles, Neptune-MD guided missiles and surface-to-air missiles (Project Clone). The company’s products also directly impact the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force and its ability to neutralize air defense systems,” the statement said.
According to the ministry, the attack was a response to attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against civilian infrastructure in Russia, which occurred in the same early hours of Thursday, against the Russian region of Nizhny Novgorod.
According to the regional governor, a total of 30 drones were shot down over the region. One person died and four people were injured, one of them hospitalized. It was also reported that the wreckage caused “non-critical damage” to an industrial facility and several residential buildings.
Kremlin says it will ‘step up pressure on Ukraine’
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared on Thursday that Russia will continue to increase pressure on Kiev to achieve its objectives in the conflict. The speech was during a press briefing, in which he commented on the plans of the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, to propose new sanctions against Russia.
On July 2, Kallas declared that the attacks on Kiev could only be stopped “through continued military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow.” “Today, I will propose imposing sanctions against new organizations supporting the Russian military-industrial complex in response to the attacks. […] We will raise the price until Russia understands that it cannot win,” she wrote on social media platform X.
The spokesman for the Russian presidency, in turn, highlighted that Moscow cannot ignore the fact that Europe has embarked on a path of militarization and is dedicating itself to confrontation with Russia.
“The fact that, as its defense identity develops, the European Union has embarked on a path of militarization and is dedicating itself to confrontation with the Russian Federation is also unequivocal. Of course, we cannot ignore this,” Peskov said.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
