Russia’s war on Ukraine latest: Russian missiles strike Ukraine

content of the article

Airstrike alerts were declared across Ukraine, and explosions rang out in the capital and surrounding regions on Friday after Moscow launched a wave of long-range airstrikes on targets from the front lines.

During night attacks, Russian forces hit the power grid in several parts of Ukraine, and within an hour at least 17 rockets hit the southeastern city of Zaporizhia.

content of the article

MISSILE STRIKES

* The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia fired 71 cruise missiles, of which 61 were shot down.

* High-voltage power plants in eastern, southern and western Ukraine were hit by Russian missiles, disrupting power supplies, grid operator Ukrenergo said.

content of the article

* Moldova said Russian missiles had passed through its airspace and called the Moscow ambassador to complain. Neighboring Romania, a NATO member, denied Ukrainian reports that a missile also passed through Romanian airspace.

* Reuters journalists heard explosions in the capital. City officials said the air defenses were working.

* “Enemy planes are in the air and ships capable of carrying Caliber missiles are in the sea. The enemy fired the missiles. The air alert will last a long time,” said Maksym Marchenko, regional governor of southern Odessa region. “Please don’t ignore the airborne alarm sirens and go to the shelters.”

DIPLOMACY

* French President Emmanuel Macron said he does not rule out sending fighter jets to Ukraine at some point, but that Kiev needs more urgent military firepower.

content of the article

* President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending an EU summit on Thursday, said some European leaders have offered fighter jets to Ukraine. He did not name the countries that would give planes.

* “A free Europe is inconceivable without a free Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy. Still, he heard from EU Council President Charles Michel that Ukraine’s road to EU membership would be long and hard.

* Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said NATO must work together on jets for Ukraine.

* Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it would be Ukrainians who would suffer if Britain or other Western countries delivered warplanes to Kiev.

BATTLE

* Britain said Russian forces were making gains north of the town of Bakhmut, which they are attempting to surround, but are having a harder time attacking Vuhledar further south, where they left more than 30 armored vehicles in a failed attack.

content of the article

* Russian pro-war advocates have also reported on the failed attack on Vuhledar, branding it a disaster. Reuters could not independently verify the situation there.

* Kiev says it expects Moscow to ramp up its offensive in a major push as the February 24 anniversary of the invasion approaches.

POLITICS/ECONOMY/SOCIETY

* A group of 35 countries backed Ukraine’s calls to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from next year’s Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee wants to allow them to compete under a neutral flag.

* President Vladimir Putin said the Russian economy has overcome the worst of the sanctions impact and is expected to show modest growth this year despite attempts to undermine certain industries.

* A quarter of Ukraine’s population is at risk of developing a serious mental health condition as the country grapples with the year-long Russian invasion, a senior health official said.

(Compiled by Peter Graff)