Russian forces said on Wednesday that they had carried out “a precision attack on a temporary base of foreign fighters in Kharkiv” in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday evening. According to them, the building housed “French mercenaries.”
Published on: 01/18/2024 – 00:56
3 mins
Moscow claimed responsibility on Wednesday, January 17, for an attack the evening before on a building housing “French mercenaries” in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Local authorities reported 17 injured civilians there.
“On the evening of January 16, Russian forces carried out a precision attack on a temporary base of foreign fighters in Kharkiv, the core of which consisted of French mercenaries,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
He left more than 60 dead and 20 injured in this attack, which “completely destroyed the building where the mercenaries were stationed.” Claims from an independent source that cannot currently be verified.
Moscow's claim of the attack comes after President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that France would deliver 40 additional long-range Scalp missiles to Kiev and sign a security agreement with Ukraine to be announced during his visit to the site scheduled for next February .
Kharkiv authorities reported a Russian attack with two S-300 surface-to-air missiles on this northeastern city near the Russian border on Tuesday evening. According to them, this bombing damaged homes and injured at least 17 civilians, including two women who are in serious condition.
The Kharkiv region, which was partially occupied by Russia in 2022, is under regular shelling and authorities fear an impending offensive in the region, where they ordered the evacuation of 26 villages on Tuesday.
Kiev wants to regain control of the sky
For their part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba, present at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, set their goal for this year: dominating the air to counter Russian aircraft, missiles and drones that cause devastating damage.
This call comes as Americans and Europeans hesitate over further support for Kiev. Ukraine fears that this hesitation could lead to a freeze in the conflict, which could benefit Russia, which occupies almost 20% of its territory.
Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized on Wednesday that any delay in aid to his country would endanger “the security of the European continent.” Without help, “we will have a major shortage of artillery, we will have a very major deficit of anti-aircraft missiles. “It means we cannot repel attacks,” he continued, raising the specter of a future “war.” between NATO and Russia”.
Ukraine is attacked almost every night by attack drones and missiles launched by Russia from the ground, sea and air.
The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 19 of the 20 drones fired by the Russians on Tuesday night, particularly against Odessa, a major port in the south that was also the target of a missile attack in the morning, wounding three people. Thanks to defense systems provided by the West, the Ukrainian armed forces manage to shoot down most of the missiles fired by Russia, but the country is in danger of running out of ammunition.
With AFP