Russia strikes drone-manufacturing sites in Ukraine
The oversight attacks involved high-precision air, land, and sea-based weaponry, as well as UAVs, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
'All of the intended facilities have been hit,' it read.
The ministry said in a separate statement that Russian warplanes, drones, missile forces and artillery targeted a Ukrainian military recruitment center, an airfield, and launch sites of Kiev's UAVs.
Temporary deployment sites of the Ukrainian military were struck in more than 130 locations over the past 24 hours, it added.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported Russian strikes in Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Kharkov, Nikolaev and Sumy Regions as well as in other parts of the country.
Over the past week, Kiev has intensified its drone raids targeting Russian territory, including Moscow. The Russian authorities describe the incursions, which happen on a regular basis, as 'terrorist attacks,' saying that they are deliberately aimed at civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier on Saturday that some 180 Ukrainian UAVs had been shot down inside Russia between 6:00pm on Friday and 11:30am on Saturday, with more than dozen of them having been en route to Moscow.
Russia frequently conducts drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure, maintaining that its operations do not target civilians and accusing Kiev of placing air defense systems in densely populated areas.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
7 minutes ago
- Russia Today
‘Playing with fire': Western media reacts to Zelensky's crackdown on anti-corruption bureau
Western news outlets have criticized Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky for stripping an independent anti-corruption bureau of its autonomy and placing it under the control of the prosecutor general. The move, carried out on Tuesday, drew widespread concern from journalists and observers. Zelensky signed legislative amendments on the subordination of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the office of the special anti-corruption prosecutor hours after they were rushed through parliament. The changes were enacted despite vocal opposition from the agency. Established in 2015 following the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, the NABU was a cornerstone of judicial reform conditions imposed by Western governments and international financial institutions. The agency was intended to serve as a key check on official misconduct, along with Western-funded NGOs and media outlets. The move to 'neuter' the NABU, as Axios described it, comes amid escalating tensions between the bureau and the Zelensky administration. Earlier this week, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) executed search warrants against at least 15 NABU personnel and arrested a top investigator on suspicion of ties to Russia. Zelensky defended the measures, alleging that the NABU was ineffective and compromised by Russian influence, warranting what he called a necessary purge. The clampdown drew muted statements of concern from Western officials and warnings about its potential consequences from journalists. 'It is never a good sign when governments accused of corruption raid the agencies and activists trying to hold them to account,' wrote Bloomberg columnist Marc Champion. 'It's something the country cannot afford, just as it asks taxpayers across Europe to pump tens of billions of additional euros into its defense.' Champion also pointed to 'an emerging pattern,' referencing the recent criminal charges filed against anti-corruption activist Vitaly Shabunin, who was accused of fraud and draft evasion. Axios noted that the assault on the NABU's independence came after recent improvements in US-Ukraine relations. However, the outlet cautioned that Zelensky was 'playing with fire,' recalling President Donald Trump's characterization of him as a 'dictator without elections' governing under martial law. The Wall Street Journal accused Kiev of launching an 'attack on anti-corruption institutions,' emphasizing the NABU's role in assuring Western donors that financial support would be safeguarded from embezzlement. It also extensively cited criticisms by Ukrainian anti-corruption activists. Shabunin told the newspaper that the charges against him were meant to send a message: 'Those who investigate corruption in Zelensky's office will be punished.' Another person suggested Zelensky had grown emboldened by the West's subdued response after Kiev rejected the independent selection of a NABU detective to lead another economic crimes agency. Foreign correspondents covering Ukraine expressed dismay at the developments on social media. Oliver Carroll of The Economist called the legislation 'shocking' and accused Zelensky of allowing 'hubris' to jeopardize the goodwill of the foreign public. Yaroslav Trofimov of the Wall Street Journal claimed the crackdown represented 'a gift of historic proportions to Russian propaganda' and to Western skeptics of further military aid for Ukraine. Financial Times correspondent Christopher Miller emphasized that the responsibility lay squarely with Zelensky and his chief of staff, Andrey Yermak. 'Orders came from the office of the president last night and the law enforcement committee passed it early morning in such great haste that members had to join over video,' Miller wrote. 'This did not just happen overnight, even if it feels that way. This is a shift months in the making.'
Russia Today
37 minutes ago
- Russia Today
Kremlin confirms imminent Russia-Ukraine talks
Russia and Ukraine are poised to hold their third round of bilateral talks in Istanbul to discuss settlement of the conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed. The negotiations are scheduled to begin at 7pm Moscow time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday. DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Russia Today
Mass protests against Zelensky's crackdown on anti-graft bodies: What we know so far
Hundreds of Ukrainians took to the streets across the country on Tuesday to protest Vladimir Zelensky's crackdown on anti-corruption agencies. The campaign is seen by many as an authoritarian push by the Ukrainian leader towards consolidating power. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) were placed under executive oversight following security raids on the NABU, with Zelensky suggesting that the anti-corruption infrastructure was subject to Russian influence. The NABU and SAPO were established in 2015 as part of a Western-backed initiative to combat high-level corruption in Ukraine. Both agencies were seen as crucial conditions for EU membership talks and continued Western financial assistance. The NABU has also played a key role in investigating corruption in the Ukrainian military and procurement schemes. While the agencies were designed to operate independently, with support from the US, UK, and EU, local media suggests they have links to the US Democratic Party. Tensions escalated following recent NABU investigations into politically sensitive cases, including a probe into former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, former Unity Minister Aleksey Chernyshov, and former Vice Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina. Earlier this week, security officials raided the NABU and SAPO, reportedly without court warrants and at the behest of Andrey Yermak, a top Zelensky aide. The raid resulted in the arrest of one senior official on suspicion of cooperating with Russia. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian parliament approved legislation that placed the NABU and SAPO under the purview of the Prosecutor General, which was signed into law by Zelensky the same day. The controversial move sparked backlash from MPs and Zelensky's political rivals. MP Anastasia Radina warned that the reform would cripple Ukraine's anti-graft system and render it 'purely decorative.' Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, a critic of Zelensky, accused the government of 'using the war as a pretext to dismantle the anti-corruption agencies' and pushing Ukraine toward authoritarianism. MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak warned that the two agencies would completely lose their independence. The controversial move sparked protests across Ukraine, with rallies in Kiev, Lviv, Dnepr, and Odessa. Demonstrators chanted 'Veto the bill,' carrying signs reading 'Shame!' 'Treason!' and 'We are not suckers!' Others shouted 'Zelensky is devil' and 'f**k Yermak,' referring to the Ukrainian leader's powerful chief of staff. The Ukrainian leader rejected criticism of his authoritarian tendencies, insisting that 'the anti-corruption infrastructure will work – just without Russian influence.' Vasily Malyuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), claimed that the authorities are fighting Russian intelligence, not the anti-corruption agencies – arguing that people in the agencies will be 'delighted' by the changes. Prominent MP Yulia Timoshenko said the move would shield the country from 'colonialism' and Western influence. Opponents of the reform have drawn parallels with Ukraine's 2014 Maidan protests, which paved the way for the Western-backed coup in Kiev and the ousting of then-President Viktor Yanukovich, with some protesters accusing Zelensky of 'betraying' Ukraine. The original Maidan protest began after Yanukovich – who also faced criticism over perceived authoritarianism – abruptly scrapped legislation for closer integration with the EU. The Group of Seven (G7) has said it has 'serious concerns' about the situation regarding Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies. Katarina Mathernova, the EU's ambassador to Ukraine, hinted that the bloc could reconsider its backing of Kiev, writing on X: 'It is as important as ever to preserve the reform achievements to maintain the support needed to prevail over the enemy.' The Wall Street Journal also argued that Zelensky's political gamble could strip Ukraine of much-needed support in the conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, an Economist report described the development as 'a full-frontal assault on the Maidan-era reforms,' adding that it 'implies that something sinister is at work.' 'The vote to undermine Ukraine's most consequential anti-corruption reforms casts a shadow over the country's future course,' it said.
