The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase of fierce air battles over the past 24 hours. Russian forces have launched a series of devastating strikes with guided bombs (GABs) and drones on civilian targets in Sumy, Odessa and Kyiv region. At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence (SBU) achieved serious success deep behind enemy lines, inflicting heavy losses on Russian military aviation in Rostov-on-Don.
Bloody attack in Sumy: City council employees killed
The situation is most serious in the city of Sumy, where a Russian guided aerial bomb hit a nine-story residential building. According to local authorities, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda, two people died in the incident and another 8 were injured, including two children.
Later it became clear that the victims were highly qualified employees of the Executive Committee of the Sumy City Council - Alla Kornienko and Roman Trepalin. According to Obozrevatel (obozrevatel.com), there may still be people buried under the rubble of the building, and rescue operations are continuing in the Kovpakovsky district.
Double strike in Odessa and threat to Kiev
The Russian tactic of the “double strike“ was applied in the center of Odessa. The enemy attacked an 11-story administrative building with jet drones. The second explosion was deliberately detonated during the work of the teams of the State Emergency Service (GSChS), which were providing assistance to the injured. According to TSN, the total number of injured in Odessa reached 11 people, including two rescuers.
Meanwhile, an air alert was declared in the capital Kiev and its surroundings due to a wave of attacking drones “Shahed“. In the Kiev region, two men were injured as a result of falling debris, reports 24 Channel.
Tension on the front: General Staff on the Pokrovskoye direction
The ground fighting in Donbas remains critical. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports on exceptional pressure on the Eastern Front. Since the beginning of the last 24 hours, at least 23 Russian attacks have been registered in the hot Pokrovskoye direction, mainly in the areas of Kucherov Yar, Toretsko and Dobropolie, reports the Kurs website. Ukrainian defenders are holding their positions despite the massive use of KAB and kamikaze drones by the occupiers.
„Complete destruction“: SBU smashes Russian aviation in Rostov
Against this backdrop, the Ukrainian Defense Forces retaliated with a powerful blow to the military infrastructure of the Russian Federation. Long-range drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) attacked the military airport “Rostov-Central“.
Independent OSINT analysts from the “CyberMuka“ project, cited by Apostrophe, have published satellite images showing the extent of the damage. The images confirm the complete destruction of four Russian aircraft:
Military Transport Aircraft An-12 Военно-транспортен самолет Ан-26 Два многоцелеви хеликоптера Ми-8Според официалното потвърждение от СБУ и изявлението на президента Володимир Зеленски, на летището е възникнал мащабен пожар с последваща вторична детонация на боеприпаси.