Every day Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Tuesday, January 9, 2024, discover the latest news surrounding this conflict.
Ukraine attacks Russia's Kursk region, woman is killed
A woman was killed in a Ukrainian bombing in Russia's Kursk region and drones hit an oil depot in the neighboring Oryol region, local authorities learned on Tuesday.
According to Roman Starovoit, the region's governor, the victim was in Gornal, a town near the border with Ukraine. At least five drones were also shot down over the Kursk region, report Roman Starovoit and the Russian Defense Ministry.
In the Oryol region, two drones struck an oil deposit, injuring three and starting a fire, local governor Andrei Klychkov said. Three drones were shot down. The governor of the neighboring Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, and the Defense Ministry said another drone was destroyed, without providing further details.
Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian border regions in recent months. On December 30, Russian media reported that at least 20 people were killed in a rocket attack on the city of Belgorod, 40 kilometers from Ukraine.
For its part, Russia has recently fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities, some of them far behind the front line, according to Ukrainian officials. In its latest attack on Monday, Russia fired 51 rockets of various types into Ukraine, killing at least four people and hitting civilian infrastructure.
Why may the “Taurus bunker busters” needed by Ukraine never arrive in Kiev?
Ukraine has been demanding this state-of-the-art long-range missile since the beginning of the war. On Saturday the Chancellor's partners Olaf Scholz urged him to hand over these weapons, which Kiev considers essential, RFI reports.
The Taurus rockets are impressive, Geo notes. Equipped with dual warheads, inconspicuous, with a range of 500 kilometers, weighing 481 kilograms, two-stage mode of action, programmable … the functions of this weapon are diverse, making this versatile machine a particularly sought-after tool in Ukraine.
A key feature of the Taurus rockets: They are made in Germany and it is up to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to approve delivery to other nations. In October he decided not to deliver them to Kiev.
Three seriously injured in bomb attack from Kiev to Belgorod
Belgorod has been the target of repeated attacks by Ukraine in recent weeks. At the end of December, 25 civilians were killed there in a rocket and drone attack.
“The city of Belgorod was bombed again last night and people were injured,” Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a Telegram message.
“There are now three people in the intensive care unit, all of whom have undergone surgery. Doctors assess her condition as stable and serious,” he added, adding that the windows of a residential building exploded and several cars were damaged. Ukraine has not commented on this bombing.
The Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 10 missiles fired from Czech RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launchers. Since the start of the war sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian army has reportedly received several RM-70s from the Czech Republic.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said he had asked other Russian regions for help in accommodating the children evacuated from Belgorod. He added that teachers would also be evacuated if necessary.