Ukrainian Missile Strike, Armed with US-Supplied Weapons, Reportedly Kills 6 in Russia -

A Ukrainian missile attack on Friday in Russia’s Kursk border region, using U.S.-supplied missiles, killed six people, including a child. This occurred hours after a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv killed at least one and wounded 13.

Moscow has claimed that its missile strike on Kyiv was a retaliatory action following a Ukrainian attack earlier this week on Russian territory, which was carried out using American-made weapons. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the attack on the Ukrainian capital was in direct response to the Ukrainian strike in the Kursk region, which used U.S.-supplied missiles and resulted in six deaths, including a child.

The escalation of attacks between the two sides reflects the ongoing intensity of the conflict, with both Ukraine and Russia targeting each other’s military and civilian areas. While the Ukrainian government has yet to comment on Moscow’s claims, the continuing exchange of missile strikes highlights the volatile nature of the war, with both nations accusing each other of provocations and justifications for their military actions.

The Ukrainian strike on the Russian town of Rylsk in the Kursk region on Friday, which used HIMARS missiles, left six people dead, including a child, and wounded ten others, including a 13-year-old, according to Kursk’s acting governor, Alexander Khinshtein. The injured have been hospitalized, though Khinshtein provided no further details on their condition or the extent of the damage. The attack marked another escalation in the ongoing conflict, following similar missile exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.

Russia is working to repel a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region that began in early August, but Ukrainian forces have established strong defensive positions. Despite Russian efforts to push back, Ukraine’s troops remain entrenched, making it difficult for Russian forces to regain control of the area. The ongoing clashes highlight the persistent and evolving nature of the conflict in the region, with both sides continuing to engage in strategic battles over key territory.

The truck-mounted HIMARS launchers are equipped with GPS-guided missiles, allowing them to target enemy positions up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. Their mobility makes them difficult for the enemy to detect, as they can quickly relocate after firing, reducing the risk of being targeted by retaliatory airstrikes. This capability significantly enhances their effectiveness in fast-paced, high-risk combat scenarios, providing a strategic advantage for the forces operating them.

President Joe Biden’s decision last month to authorize Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia marked a shift in U.S. policy, easing restrictions on the range of these weapons. The move came as a response to Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to support its war effort. By extending the strike capabilities of Ukraine’s forces, the U.S. aimed to provide them with more leverage in the ongoing conflict and counter the growing military reinforcement from Russia.

COURTESY: WION

Shortly before sunrise on Friday, Kyiv experienced at least three loud blasts as Ukraine’s air force intercepted five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles targeting the city. The attack resulted in power outages, leaving 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities, and 30 schools and kindergartens without heating. Falling missile debris caused damage and sparked fires in three districts, further impacting the city’s infrastructure.

“We urge citizens to immediately respond to alerts about ballistic attack threats, as there is very little time to find shelter,” the air force emphasized.

Since the war began nearly three years ago, Russia has consistently targeted civilian areas in Ukraine, aiming to damage the power grid and destabilize the population. Meanwhile, Ukraine, facing the challenge of defending against Russia’s larger military on the front lines, has retaliated by targeting Russian infrastructure that supports the war effort.

What may have been the blast wave from an intercepted low-flying missile also blew out windows and caused other damage at six embassies, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported.

The renewed air raid sirens prompted widespread urgency as people scrambled for safety. Among them was 32-year-old photographer Valeriia Dubova, who joined the crowd in a crowded subway station, using the underground space as a refuge against the looming threat of missile strikes.

Valeriia Dubova recounted the intensity of the morning attack, saying she had sheltered at home as the walls around her trembled from the blasts. Outside, the streets were filled with the urgent wail of sirens as fire engines and ambulances raced to respond to the unfolding chaos.

“You could see that many buildings, high-rises, were damaged, with glass shards scattered on the ground, far from the explosion epicenter,” she said, describing the aftermath of the attack.

COURTESY: Firstpost

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the strike was in retaliation for a Ukrainian missile attack on Russia’s Rostov border region two days prior. According to the ministry, Ukraine employed six American-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles and four Storm Shadow air-launched missiles supplied by the United Kingdom in that assault.

On the same day, Ukraine announced that it had targeted an oil refinery in Rostov as part of its broader strategy to disrupt Russian infrastructure critical to supporting the ongoing war effort.

Ukraine’s deployment of Western-supplied weapons in strikes against Russian targets has provoked strong condemnation from the Kremlin, escalating tensions in the already volatile conflict.

During a United Nations session on Friday, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of actively undermining peace efforts and attempting to provoke Russia into escalating the ongoing conflict.

On November 19, Ukraine launched several American-supplied longer-range missiles into Russian territory for the first time. This marked a significant escalation in the conflict, following Washington’s decision to ease restrictions on the use of these advanced weapons.

The introduction of the new hypersonic missile, Oreshnik, by Russia in response to Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles marked another escalation in the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that the missile might target government buildings in Kyiv. However, reports indicate that the Oreshnik has not been deployed a second time since its initial use.

COURTESY: WION

In response to Ukraine’s attack on Rostov on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its military executed a coordinated strike using “high-precision, long-range weapons.” The targets included the command center of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency and another facility reportedly involved in the design and production of Ukraine’s Neptune missile systems.

The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that the attack targeted Ukrainian ground-based cruise missile systems and U.S.-supplied Patriot air defense systems. These strikes were part of a broader effort to cripple Ukraine’s military infrastructure.

“The objectives of the strike have been achieved. All targets have been hit,” the Russian Defense Ministry declared in a Telegram post.

Its claims could not immediately be verified, as independent confirmation was not available at the time.

In other Russian attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine, six people, including a 15-year-old girl, were injured by missiles in Kryvyi Rih, regional authorities reported. This marked the second consecutive night of attacks in Zelenskyy’s hometown.

Additionally, Russian artillery shelled the southern city of Kherson on Friday morning, causing widespread damage and leaving around 60,000 people without power, according to regional Gov. Olesksandr Prokudin.