Russia’s Defense Ministry on Friday threatened to step up bombing raids on Kyiv if Ukraine attacks targets on Russian territory.
Why it matters: The threat comes after the ministry announced the sinking of the Moskva cruiser, the flagship of its Black Sea fleet. Ukraine said it hit the ship with cruise missiles, while Russia claimed it sank in a storm while being towed for repairs after a fire broke out on board.
- The Russian Defense Ministry said it bombed a military factory on the outskirts of Kyiv overnight.
What you say: “The number and scale of rocket attacks on targets in Kyiv will increase in response to terrorist attacks or acts of sabotage on Russian territory by the nationalist Kiev regime,” said Russia’s Major General Igor Konashenkov.
The big picture: The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday estimated that at least 1,964 civilians were killed and 2,613 injured in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but stressed its estimates were likely significantly lower than actual numbers as ongoing fighting delayed its documentation efforts
- “Most of the recorded civilian casualties were caused by the use of long-range explosive weapons, including heavy artillery and multiple-missile missile systems, as well as rocket and air strikes,” the Human Rights Council said.
go deeper: Two US lawmakers are the first officials to visit Kyiv since the war began