Russia readies missile blitz on streets of Kyiv
Six ships set to launch attacks from sea
UKRAINE is bracing for a wave of deadly cruise missile strikes that could reach Kyiv as six Russian warships are in the Black Sea, poised to launch an attack.
The warships are each armed with six Kalibr cruise missiles and are “most likely preparing for a massive launch of missiles on the territory of Ukraine,” a Ukrainian official said.
With a range of more than 1000 miles, the capital Kyiv may be a target.
The threat came as a Moscow spy ring was smashed and two Ukrainians – a senior government official and a business leader – were held in Kyiv for being on the Kremlin payroll. The suspects were seen in a video sitting in front of a Ukrainian flag admitting collaborating with Moscow.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Russia had paid the suspects thousands in dollars since 2016.
The SBU did not name the suspects but said: “These officials passed on various intelligence information to the enemy.”
In eastern Ukraine yesterday both sides took up positions in Donbas as officials warned the next few days of street-to-street fighting would be the “bloodiest” yet. The governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Gaidai said Russian forces had managed to gain some territory in the east but that the current situation was “a calm before the storm”.
President Volodymyr Zelensky fears Russia will step up attacks ahead of Thursday’s EU summit which will discuss Kyiv’s wish to join the bloc.
The first batch of German selfpropelled howitzer artillery systems arrived in Ukraine yesterday. They are capable of hitting targets 25 miles away, which will give Ukraine a major boost if they can get them to the frontline.
In Odesa, Ukraine’s biggest Black Sea port, which is blockaded by the Russian navy, a Russian missile destroyed a food warehouse this week.