Ukraine says it destroyed Russian ships; Azovstal attacked after evacuation

Two Russian ships were destroyed by Ukraine today in the Fidonisi island region of Ukraine in the Black Sea, also called Snake Island. The information was released by the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, along with a video of the attacks. The targets will be two Raptor patrol vessels. The island is located in southern Ukraine, close to the Odessa region.

Ukraine account could not be verified by independent sources. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not confirm the information in a report it published after the attacks on the ships.

Raptor patrol boats can carry three crew and 20 people. They are often equipped with machine guns and are used in reconnaissance or landing operations.

Today, the war in Ukraine has entered its 68th day with new attacks. At least three civilians were killed in the bombing of buildings in the eastern Lugansk region, according to the country’s emergency service and local administration. The Russian Defense confirmed the actions against Ukrainian army facilities and said that at least 440 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in attacks between yesterday and today.

For this second, a new evacuation is expected at the Azovstal complex in Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine. According to information received from the Ukrainian government, the region was attacked yesterday, with about 100 civilians leaving the area.

Mariupol

“The night after the evacuation in Mariupol was turbulent,” said the Ukrainian government’s Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. “The enemy’s naval artillery struck Azovstal, but it calmed down in the morning,” said the Center, referring to Denis Schlega, commander of the National Guard’s 12th Operational Dedication Brigade.

This Monday, the Mariupol Chamber reported that, with the support of the UN (United Nations) and the Red Cross, there will be “an evacuation train leaving Mariupol”. The notice said, “You can also enter the evacuation column using your own vehicle.”

deaths in Lugansk

According to Ukraine’s Emergency Service, at least three people were killed and three others injured in attacks on several cities in eastern Ukraine’s Lugansk region, which Russia was targeting at this time of conflict. “The Russian army is attacking the Luhansk region every day.”

In the city of Lysychansk, a gym burned down after a bombing. In Novodruzhsk, firefighters put out fires in farm buildings. According to the service, a fire in apartments in a building in Rubizhne was extinguished. “In the last 24 hours at least, the Russian army has destroyed 12 buildings in Orikhovo, four in Gorsky and six in Sievierodonetsk.”

According to Sergey Gaidai, governor of the Lugansk region, “cities and towns of the region suffered 18 times from enemy bombing”.

Gaidai also said it was complicated for civilians to leave the area. “Right now it’s more or less safe to evacuate only from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk,” he said. “We’ve tried elsewhere, but it’s a huge risk to residents’ lives. That’s why we go and help when the security situation allows.”

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said in a report released today that “the enemy’s main efforts are focused on gaining control of Rubizhne and preparing for the attack on Sievierodonetsk.”

(with AFP)