Ukraine Plans New Strikes Inside Russia Amid Rising Civilian Deaths (Worthy News Radio)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Ukraine says it plans new strikes deep into Russia after relentless drone and missile attacks killed and injured dozens of civilians in Kyiv and other regions over the past week. The announcement came Sunday as Ukrainians mourned their dead.

Priests in Kyiv prayed near the site of recent Russian bombardments that left more than 20 victims, including children, dead and injured.

In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed Sunday his military would “continue active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraine’s defence.”

He confirmed new deep strikes are planned inside Russia, following weeks of Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

HUNGARY AND SLOVAKIA ALARMED

The plans have raised concerns in neighboring Hungary and Slovakia, which are heavily dependent on Russian oil. Both countries lost supplies for a week after Ukrainian strikes hit the Druzhba — or “Friendship” — pipeline. Deliveries only resumed last Thursday.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó condemned the pipeline strike as an attack on his country’s energy security. He warned it could also affect electricity exports to Ukraine, which relies on Hungary for up to 40 percent of its power. “Cutting it off,” he stressed, “could cause serious hardship for families and children.”

Kyiv insists it must fight back. Weekend strikes killed at least one civilian and injured 24 others — including three children — when a five-storey apartment block was hit in Zaporizhzhia. The blast left 25,000 residents without power.

Zelenskyy noted that Russia launched nearly 540 drones, eight ballistic missiles, and dozens of other rockets against 14 regions, including Kyiv and areas near Romania. Most were intercepted, but not enough to prevent more casualties.

“THIS IS LIFE IN KYIV”

The human cost was summed up by Vita, a young widow of a Ukrainian fighter pilot. “This is life in Kyiv,” she said as sirens wailed.

She spoke at the extension of the Alley of Heroes memorial in her district, which was erected in 2014 when Russia occupied Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, and she lost her husband.

“At first, in 2014, there were only 14 heroes, including my husband,” explained Vita, who was left behind with her two children. “Now we have 260. I want you to understand the scale of the casualties… and the price we pay for independence.”

Latest Worthy News