(Reuters) – Russia’s defence ministry said on Monday its forces had carried out missile strikes overnight against Ukrainian military sites, including weapons depots and ammunition factories, and that all its designated targets had been hit.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials said the air strikes – the second such wave in three days – had caused a fire in the Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad, a railway hub behind the southern and eastern fronts, wounding at least 34 people and damaging dozens of homes.
“Overnight, Russia’s armed forces launched a group of missile strikes using high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons against Ukraine’s military-industrial facilities,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
“The objectives of the strike were achieved… The work of enterprises making ammunition, weapons and military equipment for Ukrainian troops has been disrupted,” it said.
Ukraine said 15 of 18 cruise missiles launched by Russia were successfully shot down, shielding the capital Kyiv and other major cities where air raid sirens rang.
In its daily briefing on developments on the frontline, Moscow also said Russian forces had continued their advance in the city of Bakhmut – the now devastated eastern Ukrainian city that Russia has been trying to capture for months.
On Friday, Russia killed 23 civilians with a missile that hit a high-rise apartment building in the city of Uman, part of its first large countrywide volley of air strikes in nearly two months.
Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians during the 14 months since it invaded Ukraine.
(Reporting by Jake Cordell; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Gareth Jones)
