KYIV: An alert was sounded across territory of Ukraine early on Thursday and the military warned of possible Russian missile strikes in areas of central Ukraine. Four territories Vinnytsya, Kirovohrad, Cherkassy and Dnipropetrovsk have been resounding air raid sirens following warning through the Telegram channel of Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to reports, Russia will soon induct air launch rocket with S-8OFnick named as ‘Armour piercer rockets’ into its artillery as it plans to amplify its attacks on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine denied a Russian claim that a US-made Patriot defence system was destroyed, while United States officials told reporters ‘probably the unit was damaged and knocked out’.
At least eight are feared to have been killed and 17 injured by shelling in Ukraine, as both sides trade accusations of striking civilian areas. In occupied Donetsk, Ukrainian shelling left five dead and 15 injured, that city’s Russian-backed mayor said.
The city in the east of Ukraine has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014 and the wider Donetsk region became one of four illegally annexed by Russia last year.
On Tuesday Ukraine Military forces had captured 20 square kilometres from Russian forces around Bakhmut in recent days. Likened to a “meat grinder”, the devastated eastern city has been an epicentre of fighting for months, with both sides suffering heavy losses. Ukraine’s army claims it is regaining ground to the north and south, diminishing Russian control over the former salt mining town – currently estimated at 90%..