An early version of the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) Photo: US Army via AP
In Summary:
- Russia and Ukraine exchanged air strikes resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides.
- Moscow accuses the US of involvement in a Ukrainian attack on Crimea, citing the use of American-supplied missiles.
Russia and Ukraine have escalated their conflict with a series of reciprocal air strikes, causing civilian casualties and extensive infrastructure damage.
The attacks, occurring overnight and into Sunday, have intensified tensions in the ongoing war.
Russian officials report that a Ukrainian attack on Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, killed at least five people, including three children.
The Russian defense ministry claims the strike used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, stating that “US specialists had set the missiles’ flight coordinates on the basis of information from US spy satellites.”
Kharkiv attack:
In an apparent retaliatory move, Russian forces struck Ukraine’s eastern city of Kharkiv.
Governor Oleh Synehubov reported that “the occupiers have conducted strikes on the civilian infrastructure of Kharkiv,” resulting in one death and ten injuries. He added that the strikes appeared to have been conducted with glide bombs.
The attacks extended to other parts of Ukraine as well. Moreover, two people were injured and dozens of residential and other buildings damaged in a Russian missile attack on Kyiv overnight, according to the head of the regional administration.
Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv region’s administration, said on Telegram that “six multistorey residential buildings, more than 20 private houses, as well as a gas station and a pharmacy were damaged.”
A private house destroyed by a Russian missile attack overnight in the Kyiv region of Ukraine on June 23, 2024. [Handout/State Emergency Service of Ukraine/AFP]
Guided bombs:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased international support to counter the growing threat of Russian guided bombs.
He stated, “This Russian terror through guided bombs must be stopped and can be stopped,” revealing that Russian forces had used “more than 2,400 guided bombs on Ukrainian targets in June alone.”
Decisions on nuclear weapons:
The conflict’s escalation has raised concerns about potential nuclear implications.
Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian lower house of parliament’s defense committee, suggested that Russia could “correct something in [the doctrine] regarding the timing of the use of nuclear weapons and the decision to make this use” if threats increase.
As both sides continue to exchange accusations of targeting civilians, the international community remains on high alert.
The conflict’s intensification, particularly with the alleged use of US-supplied weaponry in the Crimea attack, has significant geopolitical ramifications and poses serious challenges to regional stability.