Deadly Russian Strikes Continue on Day Two (2) in Ukraine

Following a second night of intense bombardment throughout the war-torn country, Russia launched a barrage of assault drones and missiles at Ukraine, killing at least four people, according to authorities on Tuesday.

A day earlier, the Kremlin unleashed one of its biggest-ever aerial assaults on Ukraine, hitting energy installations and leaving multiple people dead. This was followed by the midnight blitz.

The air force of Ukraine reported on Tuesday that it had shot down 60 out of 81 attack drones with Iranian designs and half of the 10 missiles that were launched from various locations in Russia and into Crimea.

President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media, saying, “Unfortunately, despite the effective work of our air defense systems, four people were killed and 16 were wounded.”

He promised a reaction to the attacks and stated that rescue efforts were still underway at the impact areas.

“There can be no impunity for crimes against humanity,” he declared.

AFP reporters in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, heard an explosion that was probably caused by air defense systems during the night, along with the sound of air raid sirens echoing over the city.

Recurring hotel assault
Earlier on Tuesday, local police said that a missile had targeted a hotel, resulting in the deaths of two persons in the southeast Zaporizhzhia district and two in the center city of Kryvyi Rig.

The hotel attack occurs just a few days after a Reuters news agency crew in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk was struck by a missile in their hotel, which resulted in the death of an agency safety advisor.

Widespread blackouts were brought on by the Russian attacks on Monday, and Ukraine’s allies in Europe and the US condemned them.

According to Russia, the attack targeted facilities connected to the Ukrainian military. Poland, a member of NATO, claimed that during the bombardment, a drone most likely broke into their airspace.

Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine with large-scale drone and missile attacks since its invasion in February 2022, including retaliatory attacks on energy facilities.

Following recent attacks that destroyed energy infrastructure around the country, emergency blackouts will be implemented throughout the day to relieve pressure on the grid, according to a statement made on Tuesday by Ukraine’s power grid operator in Kyiv.

In a statement, Ukrenergo urged Ukrainians to cut back on their electricity use, saying that “Ukraine’s power system is currently recovering from nine massive Russian attacks, with a power deficit and emergency and scheduled repairs underway at power facilities.”

“Split across the border”
The bombing coincides with the surprise operation by Ukrainian forces to advance their offensive in the Kursk region of Russia’s border, which has seen Kyiv seize large areas of land in just three weeks.

The Ukrainian army reportedly attempted to breach the border, according to reports that the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region—which borders Kursk and Ukraine—said on Tuesday.

Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated, “Information has emerged that the enemy is trying to break through the border of the Belgorod region.”

He said on social media, “The situation on the border remains difficult but under control, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.”

Zelensky stated late on Monday that part of the reason for Ukraine’s unexpected cross-border attack into the Kursk region on August 6 was to “make up” for the fact that Kyiv was unable to conduct a more serious attack into Russian territory.

He has been pleading with the allies of Ukraine to permit his forces to utilize weaponry from the West to hit targets within Russian territory in an attempt to stop further aircraft bombardments.