Anti-aircraft sirens sounded again this Monday across Ukraine, after Russia launched the eighth round of missiles against the country’s infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said most were intercepted by defense systems – 60 out of 70 missiles, the military later specified. Even so, at least two people died and there are reports of new electricity cuts. The new shower of missiles came after explosions were recorded at two Russian air bases. Moscow pointed the finger at Kiev and said the attack was carried out using drones, with three soldiers killed and two planes damaged.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, “Soviet” drones flew at low altitude to reach the air bases of Dyagilevo, in the Ryazan region, and Engels-2, in Saratov. Both are more or less 600 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. In a statement, quoted by Russia Today, the ministry claims that the drones were detected and shot down, but the crash and explosion of the debris caused “slight” damage to two planes, killing three soldiers and wounding four more.
Speaking of a “terrorist act”, the statement says Moscow responded with a missile strike against military and communication command centres, the defense industry and Ukraine’s electricity sector. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that it hit “all 17 targets” envisaged in the attack. The Ukrainians, however, claim to have intercepted most of these missiles. “The Air Defense forces shot down most of the missiles. Engineers have already begun to restore electricity. Our people never give up”, stated Zelensky in a short video on social media.
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