Ukraine war latest: Russia says Kyiv’s ‘terrorist’ drone attack on Moscow warded off

The Ukrainian military appeared to validate it had actually released the drone strike, after it declared that it had actually destroyed an oil depot and Russian arms storage facilities in the Krasnohvardiiske area of Crimea, the Ukrainian area that Moscow unlawfully annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia was a genuine target as it was utilized by Moscow “to feed the war with ammunition.”

The Russian Defence Ministry has actually implicated Ukraine of releasing a “terrorist attack” after Moscow’s air defence obstructed and destroyed 2 drones in the early hours today.

Fragments of the drone, most likely shot down in the preventing effort, were discovered 2km (1.2 miles) far from the Russian defence ministry building, the state news firms reported.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram channel that 2 non-residential structures were struck throughout the attack, which occurred around 4am (0100 GMT).

It was uncertain whether the drones struck the structures when they were downed, or whether they intentionally targeted the structures.

Fragments of a drone were discovered in main Moscow today, some 2km (1.2 miles) far from the defence ministry’s primary building, Russian emergency situation services said.

Komsomolsky Avenue from the centre of Moscow towards the borders of the city was closed, said RIA news firm, pointing out Moscow’s Department of Transport.

At least 2 loud surges were heard by witnesses prior to the drone pieces were discovered, according to the reports.

No casualties have actually been reported up until now, the emergency situation services said.

Residents of a number of districts in Moscow’s southwest and south reported the noises of surges, according to the messages on Russia’s FSB-linked Telegram channels.

Russia’s air-defence forces warded off a Ukraine drone attack on Moscow early early today, Russia’s defence ministry said.

Two drones were obstructed and destroyed in a non-residential location, authorities said previously.

The drones struck 2 non-residential structures in Moscow at around 4am (0100 GMT), Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.

“There was no serious damage or injuries,” he said.

The NATO-Ukraine Council is set to fulfill on wedneday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nighttime video address on Sunday.

It is anticipated that Black Sea security will be leading of the program, following Russia’s with withdrawal from a year-old deal managing grain exports from Ukrainian ports, and the recent battle of Odesa.

The conference was very first asked for by Zelenskiy in a telephone discussion with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday.

Zelenskiy said on Sunday the conference was amongst a number of occasions Ukraine was getting ready for in the coming week that would enhance the nation’s defense.

He said brand-new assistance plans were being prepared, which will consist of more air defense, weapons, and long-range weapons.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has actually said that Italy is prepared to help Ukraine with the restoration of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa.

In a declaration, Meloni said: “The attacks on Odesa, the deaths of innocent people, and the destruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral deeply sadden us.

“Italy, with its unique experience in restoration in the world, is ready to join the reconstruction of the cathedral and other treasures of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.”

Right-wing Prime Minister Meloni has actually become a strong fan of Kyiv, regardless of a few of her conservative union allies formerly preserving close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Odesa’s Transfiguration Cathedral has actually now been “destroyed twice,” said Ukraine‘s defence ministry: By Russian President Vladimir Putin and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The original early 19th-century cathedral was demolished in 1936 as part of Stalin’s anti-religious projects, and rebuilt when Ukraine acquired self-reliance from Moscow in 1991.

The most recent attack has actually seen parts of the building were destroyed, with floorings covered in debris and pieces were swindled the cathedral’s elaborate walls.

Russia has actually assaulted Odesa with rockets and drones a number of times given that it withdrew on Monday from a year-old deal that had actually permitted safe exports of Ukraine‘s grain from Black Sea ports.

Odesa’s ports were the departure point for grain leaving Ukraine in the Turkey and UN-brokered arrangement.

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said Ukraine has actually reclaimed about 50% of the area that Russia took, although Kyiv’s counteroffensive will extend a number of months.

“It’s already taken back about 50% of what was initially seized,” Blinken said in an interview to CNN on Sunday.

“These are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough,” he said, including: “It will not play out over the next week or two. We’re still looking I think at several months.”

Ukraine has actually regained some towns in the south and area around the destroyed city of Bakhmut in the east, however has actually not had a significant development versus greatly safeguarded Russian lines.

When asked if Ukraine will get U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, Blinken said he thought it would. “And the important focus is on making sure that when they do, they’re properly trained, they’re able to maintain the planes, and use them in a smart way.”

New video footage is flowing on social networks of an outside service held at the Transfiguration Cathedral, after it was bombed in the early hours of Sunday.

Crowds of individuals are seen to light candle lights in front of the broken building of the bombed-out cathedral.

Archdeacon Andrii Palchuk held the service after volunteers assisted put out fires and clear debris inside.

The parish collected outdoors in front of a spiritual icon that had “miraculously survived”, Palchuk said.