Authorities say there are no victims. In Ukraine, the regional governor of Kherson deplores the death of two civilians in Russian strikes
The Russian town of Engels, in the Saratov region, in the southwest of the country, was attacked by drones overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, and several explosions were reported by witnesses.
The authorities, for their part, affirm that “five Ukrainian drones were destroyed by air defense systems over the Belgorod and Saratov regions“.
Engels is home to the Russian Aerospace Forces Air Base, where Russian strategic bombers are based that launch missiles at Ukraine. She has already been attacked several times.
Earlier, debris from a downed Ukrainian S-200 missile fell on the city of Kursk, without causing any casualties, according to the local governor.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba commented on Kyiv’s drone strikes on Russian territory on Tuesday: “What is happening there is a direct consequence of Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine. If Putin had not launched this aggression, thousands of Russians would not have been killed in Ukraine and nothing would have happened in Russia itself“, did he declare.
A Russian bombing killed two civilians on Wednesday near Kherson, in southern Ukraine, the regional governor reported on social networks.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, nighttime strikes left six people injured.
“The United States will not let Ukraine fail”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured Tuesday that his country would continue to support Ukraine’s war effort against Russia, even if the US Congress refuses to send additional weapons.
“The United States will not let Ukraine fail“, promised Lloyd Austin to around fifty defense officials from Europe and elsewhere, gathered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. “This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail“.
During this meeting, leaders of other countries promised new aid to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany would supply munitions and armored and transport vehicles worth around 500 million euros.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his allies for the new aid.
Defense officials continue to warn that Ukraine remains vastly outmatched by Russia on the battlefield and note persistent reports that Ukrainian troops are rationing or running out of ammunition at the front.
Using Russian assets to help Kyiv
On Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal travels to Brussels for the EU/Ukraine Association Council, chaired by Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief. He is expected to lead his country’s delegation and meet Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Josep Borrell proposes that the EU use 90% of revenues from frozen Russian assets in Europe to buy weapons from Ukraine. He will submit this proposal to member states before the summit of European leaders which will be held on Thursday and Friday.
