WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Russian strikes on Ukraine's Kharkiv region kill at least 11
Russia struck a busy lakeside resort on the edge of Ukraine's second largest city on Sunday and attacked villages in the surrounding region, killing at least 11 people and wounding scores.
The missile strikes were the latest in what have been constant Russian attacks in recent weeks on the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, where Russian troops have launched an offensive.
Valentyna, 69, had blood running down her face at the lakeside resort area where her home had been destroyed and a busy restaurant nearby was obliterated. Her husband was killed near the lake, she said, gesturing to an area close to the shore that now was the site of a crater, rubble and corpses.
"To lose my husband, to lose my house, to lose everything in the world, it hurts, it hurts me," she shouted through tears "They (the Russians) are animals. Why do they need to kill people?"
Prosecutors said six people were killed there, one was missing and 27 were wounded. Rescuers said the initial strike was followed by a second strike around 20 minutes later, targeting emergency crews at the scene in a "double tap".
"There were never any soldiers here," said Yaroslav Trofimko, a police inspector who arrived after the first strike and was then caught up in the second. "It was a Sunday, people were supposed to be here to rest, children were supposed to he here, pregnant women resting, enjoying a normal way of life."
Another five people were killed and nine injured later in the day in two villages in Kupiansk district. Local Governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces shelled two villages of the district with a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher.
Prosecutors said one person was killed in Russian shelling in Vovchansk, a town in Kharkiv region 5 km (three miles) inside the border at the centre of a Russian incursion launched just over a week ago. Three people were wounded.
Russian forces pushed their way into northern areas of Kharkiv region last week and the Russian military says they have captured at least 12 villages. Ukrainian shelling across the border injured 13 on Sunday in Russia's Belgorod region.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy again called on Western allies to supply Kyiv with additional air defence systems to protect Kharkiv and other cities.
"The world can stop Russian terror - and to do so, the lack of political will among leaders must be overcome," Zelenskiy said on Telegram.
"Two Patriots for Kharkiv will make a fundamental difference," he said, referring to Patriot missile defence systems. Air defence systems for other cities and sufficient support for soldiers on the front line would ensure Russia's defeat, the president added.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Air defenses down 103 Ukrainian drones, 12 ATACMS missiles, 4 Hammer bombs over day
Russian air defenses downed 104 Ukrainian drones, as well as 12 ATACMS missiles and four Hammer bombs over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry reported.
"The air defenses shot down 103 drones, including 62 fixed-wing drones destroyed over the territory of Russia at night, one Tochka-U tactical missile, 12 ATACMS operational-tactical missiles produced by the United States, four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, two US-made HARM anti-radar missiles, as well as nine US-made HIMARS rockets," the military said.
Russian forces also hit concentrations of Ukrainian manpower and equipment in 112 areas over the past 24 hours.
TASS has summarized the main successes of the Russian armed forces in the special military operation zone.
Battlegroup North
Russia’s battlegroup North continues advancing deep into the Ukrainian defenses in the Kharkov Region, defeating the forces of the Foreign Legion and three Ukrainian brigades, the Defense Ministry said.
"The northern battlegroup continues to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. It defeated the manpower and equipment of the Foreign Legion, the Ukrainian 24th, 42nd mechanized brigades, the 125th territorial defense brigade near Lukyantsy, Veseloye, Radgospnoye in the Kharkov Region. The battlegroup also repelled five enemy counterattacks near Volchansk, Liptsy and Tikhoye in Kharkov Region," the ministry said, adding that the Ukrainian military lost up to 230 servicemen, a tank, two armored fighting vehicles, 10 pickup trucks, a 122 mm Gvozdika howitzer, as well as a Grad MLRS.
Battlegroup West
Russia’s battlegroup West has taken more favorable positions and destroyed up to 440 Ukrainian servicemen and eight units of equipment, the military said.
"The western battlegroup occupied more favorable positions and defeated the 63rd Ukrainian mechanized brigade near Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 440 servicemen, two vehicles, three US-made 155 mm M777 howitzers, a 152 mm Msta-B howitzer and two 122 mm Gvozdika howitzers," the ministry pointed out.
Battlegroup East
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 105 servicemen and a Marder infantry fighting vehicle in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s battlegroup East, the ministry emphasized.
"The battlegroup repelled two counterattacks by assault groups of the 123rd Ukrainian territorial defense brigade and the 21st National Guardd brigade near Urozhaynoye and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 105 servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, three vehicles, a UK-made 155 mm FH-70 howitzer, as well as a 122 mm Gvozdika howitzer," the Russian military said, adding that the battlegroup also occupied more favorable positions, as well as defeated the manpower and equipment of the 128th territorial defense brigade near Velikaya Novoselka and Makarovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Battlegroup South
Russia’s battlegroup South has improved its positions along the front line and repelled a Ukrainian attack near Novomikhailovka, the ministry reported.
"The southern battlegroup improved its frontline positions, defeating the manpower and equipment of the 79th Ukrainian airborne assault, 93rd mechanized, and 81staAirmobile brigades near Antonovka and Belogorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. In addition, a Ukrainian attack was repelled near Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy lost more than 680 servicemen, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles and 10 vehicles," the ministry said, adding that the Russian forces also destroyed Ukrainian equipment and two warehouses with enemy ammunition.
Battlegroup Center
Russia’s battlegroup Center has improved its tactical positions and repelled seven Ukrainian counterattacks, wiping out up to 345 servicemen, the Defense Ministry said.
"The central battlegroup improved the tactical positions and defeated the 71st Ukrainian infantry, 47th, 100th mechanized brigades near Yevgenovka, Novoalexandrovka, Rozovka and Novgorodskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. The battlegroup also repelled seven counterattacks of the 59th motorized infantry, 24th, 47th mechanized, 142nd, 143rd infantry brigades near Shumy, Netailovo, Novokalinovo, Umanskoye and Solovyevo of the Donetsk People's Republic," the military said, adding that the Ukrainian forces lost up to 345 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, two cars, as well as a 152 mm Msta-B howitzer.
Reuters/Tass