KYIV: Ukraine’s security services on Saturday said they had struck a Russian ammunition factory located in a border region, amid escalating hostilities as Moscow’s forces continue their advance in eastern Ukraine. The attack on the Russian facility comes after a week of intense bombardments across Ukraine, leading to significant casualties and damage.
According to Ukrainian officials, the strike targeted a Russian ammunition factory in the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine. This move follows a series of Russian advances, including the capture of the village of Kalynove, situated about 25 kilometers southeast of the strategic logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
The Donetsk region, where Kalynove is located, has been a focal point of the conflict as Russia seeks to capture the entire Donbas region—a key objective outlined by President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force reported thwarting a large-scale overnight drone attack by Russia. The Ukrainian military said 67 drones were launched toward the country, with 58 being successfully intercepted.
The attack caused loud explosions in Kyiv, with debris from a downed drone landing near the Ukrainian parliament. The Kyiv city administration confirmed that these nightly drone assaults have become a regular occurrence.
Meanwhile, in the Russian region of Voronezh, a fire and several explosions erupted overnight, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents. Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said that Russian anti-air defenses had detected and neutralized a drone, but the falling debris ignited a blaze that spread to a local munitions depot.
The cause of the fire and subsequent explosions was initially unclear, but Ukrainian sources later claimed responsibility for the strike on the ammunition facility.
Over the past week, at least 55 people were killed in Poltava due to Russian bombardments, while seven others lost their lives in Lviv, located hundreds of kilometers from the frontlines. The missile attack on Pavlograd in the Dnipropretovsk region has resulted in 82 wounded, including seven children.
Russia’s military said Saturday it had seized the village of Kalynove, around 25 kilometres (16 miles) southeast of the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s “primary objective” in the war was to capture the entire Donbas region — which consists of Ukraine’s Lugansk and Donetsk regions.
Moscow claimed to have annexed them, along with the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in 2022, months after it launched its full-scale military offensive and despite not having full control over them.
On the diplomatic front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a visit to Europe. Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s strong support for Ukraine, echoing the sentiment of other European allies.
Zelensky’s trip also included discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and an address at the Ramstein defense summit, where he pressed for increased military aid to bolster Ukraine’s defense efforts. Zelensky was using the brief trip to Europe to press allies for more weapons supplies.
