Russia says mass strikes launched in Ukraine
Russia is claiming that it deployed a mass strike in Ukraine overnight that reached hundreds of targets.
The Russian defense ministry wrote in a statement on Monday that the strike included its air force, missile forces, artillery and air defense systems, according to Reuters.
Moscow said the strikes — which occurred in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions and the port of Mykolayiv — demolished 16 Ukrainian military facilities, according to Reuters. Those targets reportedly included five command posts, a fuel depot and three ammunition warehouses.
Ukrainian armor and forces were also destroyed, Reuters reported, citing the defense ministry.
Russia said the strikes were aimed at 108 targets where it believed Ukraine had its forces and armor, according to the news wire.
The defense ministry said Ukraine was preparing “monstrous provocations” that included a large number of civilian casualties in an effort to make Moscow look bad. The ministry specifically accused Ukraine of planning to target Orthodox churches and cathedrals on Saturday, the day before Orthodox Easter — a holiday celebrated by a large number of Ukrainians and Russians.
Moscow claimed to have evidence bolstering its allegation, but did not provide any insight, according to Reuters.
The mass strike came in the seventh week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24. Moscow has recently repositioned its efforts to eastern and southern Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on the besieged port city of Mariupol.
The Ukrainian city of Lviv also came under attack by Russia on Monday, according to The Washington Post. At least seven people were killed and 11 others were injured when missiles struck the city, which has remained relatively quiet during the conflict.
Regional officials in Lviv told the Post that the deaths reported on Monday were the first in the city since Russia’s invasion started.
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