According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, its forces have captured the village of Tonenke in eastern Ukraine.
“The Russian armed forces liberated the village of Tonenke,” Russia’s defense ministry said in its daily briefing.
The village, located 8.5km (5.2 miles) west of Avdiivka, is the second that Moscow claims to have seized this week, with Russia seeing some recent successes on the battlefield as Kyiv suffers from a shortage of ammunition.
Earlier this week, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces captured the village of Orlivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, close to the also Russian-controlled town of Avdiivka.
Earlier, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said its soldiers had repelled 14 Russian attacks near six villages in the eastern region of Donetsk, including Tonenke.
The news came as Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, injuring at least 13 people and damaging residential buildings and industrial facilities.
Serhiy Popko, the head of the military administration, said that it was the first significant attack in recent weeks that targeted the city with both ballistic and cruise missiles.
“After a pause of 44 days, the enemy launched another missile attack on Kyiv,” he said.
He added, “All emergency services are working on sites. Clearing the consequences of the missile attack is under way.”
He disclosed that the Russian military used strategic bombers and launched some missiles from its territory.
Officials said air defences downed “about three dozen enemy missiles” but rocket fragments fell onto a kindergarten in the Sviatoshynskyi district while an apartment building and a car caught fire in other areas.
A number of other residential buildings and industrial facilities were also damaged in the attack, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, while air alerts lasted for nearly three hours.
The officials stated that an 11-year-old girl was among two people taken to hospital.
The authorities believe around 31 missiles in total were launched by the Russians, two of them are said to have been Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, the rest were also said to have been cruise missiles launched from strategic bombers.
People took shelter in air raid shelters and also in the metro system as they have done in the past.
Zelenskyy Urges West To Do More For Ukraine
After Russia’s latest attack, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to show the “political will” to help Kyiv.
“Such terror continues every day and night. It is possible to put an end to it through global unity. When it helps us with air defense systems,” he noted on X.
“Russian terrorists do not have missiles capable of bypassing Patriot and other leading world systems,” Zelenskyy added.
“This protection is required in Ukraine now. From Kyiv to Kharkiv, Sumy to Kherson, and Odesa to the Donetsk region. This is entirely possible if our partners demonstrate sufficient political will.
“We must prove that terror is always the loser. We must prove to Russia that it will be forced to accept normal free life in Ukraine. We need the support of our partners. And I am grateful to everyone in the world who truly helps.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Separately, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, made mention of the “major missile attack overnight in Kyiv.”
“Thankfully, our air defense intercepted around 30 missiles, saving lives,” she noted.
She added, “Swift action needed to provide Ukraine with crucial defense systems and support.”
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