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Ukraine on Friday continued its efforts to deliver the battle onto Russian soil as combating rages on in Russia’s Kursk area, whereas “massive” drone strikes have been additionally carried out towards navy and authorities targets in not less than 4 different western areas.
Russia’s Lipetsk area, which sits simply north of Kursk, got here below assault by Ukrainian drone strikes early Friday during which an ammunition depot and warehouse have been reportedly hit.
Some 700 Russian guided bombs have been allegedly destroyed within the strike, East2West media sources informed Fox News Digital.
Local Governor Igor Artamonov additionally mentioned that energy provides have been disrupted after an vitality facility was hit within the assault, Politico EU first reported.
Russian state media additional reported {that a} navy airfield was additionally on fireplace within the area following the strike during which some 19 drones have been allegedly intercepted.
A view reveals destroyed buildings within the city of Sudzha following an incursion of Ukrainian troops into the Kursk area, Russia, on this nonetheless picture from video taken August 7, 2024. (MIC Izvestia / IZ.RU by way of REUTERS)
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It is unclear what number of drones have been fired throughout the Lipetsk area, and additional reporting confirmed that one other 26 drones had been downed within the Belogrod area, situated north of Ukraine’s Kharkiv area and positioned simply east of Kursk, in accordance with native Ukrainian reporting.
Russia’s protection ministry reportedly claimed that 75 drones had been shot down in a single day in a number of areas spanning Ukraine’s shared border with Russia, and a further 5 drones have been allegedly shot down over Russian-occupied Crimea in Ukraine’s south.
Multiple studies on Friday confirmed that Moscow has introduced a “federal-level” state of emergency in Kursk, and the Ministry of Defense acknowledged that Ukrainian forces have been approaching the strategic city of Sudzha after open-source reporting this week confirmed that Ukrainian forces had already captured a key navy checkpoint and the Sudzha gas-distribution station.
A video launched by pro-Russia navy bloggers was additionally circulated on Friday displaying the remnants of a Russian convoy that apparently had been ambushed by Ukrainian forces on Thursday night time. The graphic footage confirmed burned-out automobiles, together with some that have been crammed with our bodies of lifeless Russian troopers.
Up to 400 Russian troopers have been reportedly killed in a single HIMARS missile strike within the Kursk area as they have been on the transfer to battle the Ukrainian military on August 9. (Photo Provided by East2West)
It is unclear what Ukraine’s major goal in hitting Russian targets throughout 5 areas is, although sources have informed Fox News Digital that Kyiv might be seeking to divert Russian sources on the entrance strains by bringing the battle to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s homeland.
Russia’s defenses inside its borders are anticipated to be weakened as Moscow has targeted its miliary goals alongside Ukraine’s jap flank, the place it has gained some floor this 12 months.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has remained silent on the assault in Russia, as is in keeping with Kyiv’s coverage of silence amid ongoing operations, although in a Thursday night time deal with he mentioned, “Russia brought war to our land, and it should feel what it has done.”
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The Biden administration earlier this 12 months relinquished its opposition to Kyiv utilizing U.S. provided weapons to hit Russian targets outdoors of Ukraine.
A satellite tv for pc picture reveals broken Sudzha border crossing in Oleshnya, Kursk Region on August 6, 2024, obtained by Reuters on August 8, 2024. (Reuters)
In May, reporting recommended that the White House had given a silent nod of approval for Ukraine to defend towards the barrage of Russian missile fireplace by permitting it to hit navy targets simply over the border with Kharkiv.
But in accordance with feedback by Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh on Thursday, this approval was apparently granted to any strategic goal past Ukraine’s shared border with Russia, as long as it was not deep inside Russian territory.
“As the dynamics have shifted on the battlefield, they’ve been able to actually push the Russians back further into Russian territory,” she mentioned. “As [Ukraine sees] attacks coming across the border, they have to be able to have the capabilities to respond. And so you’re seeing some of these cross-border counter-fire measures.”
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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks with Acting Governor of the Kursk area Alexei Smirnov by way of a video hyperlink outdoors Moscow, Russia on August 8, 2024. (Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin by way of REUTERS)
But when requested about particular limitations on how far Ukraine is allowed to pursue “cross-border” assaults, she remained tight-lipped.
“We don’t support long-range attacks into Russia,” she informed reporters. “I’m not going to put a specific range on it.”
“I’m not going to draw a circular map here for you of where they can and can’t strike, but we’ve been very clear with the Ukrainians,” she added.
