Russia's Defence Ministry said Russian forces struck nine Ukrainian cities overnight; Ukrainian officials reported two people killed and at least 14 wounded. Ukraine's air force said seven ballistic missiles were stopped, while officials reported damage to energy and grain infrastructure. Volodymyr Zelensky also appointed Andrii Biletskyi and Denys Prokopenko to lead new groupings defending the Donetsk fortress belt.
Russia said its forces launched a ‘massive’ overnight attack targeting industrial plants, oil refineries, logistics hubs and port infrastructure in nine cities. Officials reported that a 78-year-old woman in the country's south and another person in its north were killed, and at least 14 people were wounded elsewhere.[1]
Ukraine's air force said seven Russian ballistic missiles were shot down or suppressed. Naftogaz said four glide bombs forced a combined heat and power plant in the Kherson region to shut. In Odesa, a barrage lasting more than seven hours damaged a grain elevator, a residential building and two educational facilities. Moldova's Defence Ministry reported five drones in its airspace without identifying who launched them.[1]
During a front-line visit, Volodymyr Zelensky said Third Army Corps commander Andrii Biletskyi and First Corps Azov commander Denys Prokopenko would lead new groupings intended to strengthen defences around Donetsk. The Straits Times reported that both command well-trained forces already deployed in the sector as Russian troops increase pressure towards Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.[2]
