Three people have been killed as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack in the Belgorod area of Russia, according to the region’s governor. It follows another hit on Moscow, with one striking a building in the centre of the capital, according to the Russian MoD.
Wednesday 23 August 2023 11:19, UK
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Pictures circulating on social media showing a plume of smoke rising in Crimea depict the aftermath of the destruction of a mobile Russian missile complex, according to a Ukrainian official.
Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, claimed on Telegram that seven separate explosions destroyed the coastal anti-ship missile complex named “Bastion”.
Mr Andriushchenko said the complex was used to fire Onyx missiles on Ukrainian targets, and that radar systems had also been destroyed.
He did not clarify what caused the explosion.
The claims are unverified.
The UK will proscribe the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation “within weeks”, according to government insiders speaking to the Financial Times.
Suella Braverman, the home secretary, is expected to announce the designation “imminently” in line with powers under the Terrorism Act 2000, the newspaper reported.
The move comes after a report found the UK government’s sanctions targeting Wagner have been “underwhelming in the extreme”.
Britain has already imposed sanctions on the Wagner Group, its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and other associated individuals, but has been criticised for not acting faster to mitigate the growing reach of the Russian mercenary group.
What is proscription?
Proscription makes it a criminal offence to belong to, encourage support for, assist or use the logo of that group.
The maximum penalty for a proscription offence is 14 years and a fine.
The home secretary can proscribe an organisation if it commits, prepares or promotes terrorism.
We reported earlier that a school had been destroyed in the region of Sumy (9.59 post).
It now appears two teachers were killed in a Russian drone attack in the city of Romny, according to Ukraine’s interior ministry.
Three more people were injured and two employees are under the rubble, the ministry said.
The search and rescue operation is continuing.
Vladimir Putin has met two Kremlin-appointed heads of Ukrainian regions controlled by Russian forces.
The Russian governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, Evgeny Balitsky, said cities in the region were under fire from Ukrainian forces and praised Mr Putin’s decision to relocate people.
The Russian-installed head of the Luhansk region, Leonid Pasechkin, reported a “tense” situation.
The Kremlin released photos of the meetings today.
Another drone has been shot down over the Russian border region of Belgorod, the Russian defence ministry has said, after an earlier attack reportedly killed three people.
Three people were reported dead around 9am local time (7am UK time) by the local governor, who claimed a Ukrainian drone had dropped a grenade on civilians there.
The Russian MoD is now saying that a second, separate attack on the region was thwarted at about 11.30am local time (9.30am UK time).
“By air defence means, the UAV was detected and destroyed over the territory of the Belgorod region,” a statement read.
“As a result of the thwarted terrorist attack, there were no casualties or damage.”
These two drone attacks join four on the Moscow region to bring the total number this morning to six.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility or addressed the claims.
A Russian drone has destroyed an education institution in the region of Sumy, the area’s administrative office has said.
“Today at 10:05 a.m. in the city of Romny, a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle of the ‘Shahed’ [Iranian-made drone] type hit an educational institution,” a statement on Telegram said.
“Unfortunately, the institution’s building is completely destroyed.”
It is not clear if there have been any casualties, or what age groups studied at the institution.
We’ll bring you more when we get it.
Satellite images between last November and this month show Russian forces “notably sped up” the expansion of defensive fortifications in Zaporizhzhia, according to US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War.
Ukrainian Colonel Petro Chernyk said conditions are set for Ukrainian forces to enter the Northern Azov region and “demolish” Russian positions in southern Ukraine and occupied Crimea.
He also said Russian forces are strengthening their positions on the Perekop Isthmus, about 100 miles north of Sevastopol, building three lines of defence in the area.
Russian forces have also created four unspecified “groups” in Crimea in preparation for a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Ukraine’s head of military intelligence Major General Kyrylo Budanov said – something he noted had never happened before.
These two actions may indicate Russian forces are “growing increasingly concerned about recent Ukrainian advances along the southern front”, the ISW said.
Today marks the Day of the National Flag of Ukraine – an annual event celebrating Ukrainian independence.
Festivities will include the official ceremony of raising the state flag of Ukraine in both regional and district centres.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared this message, stating “today is a special National Flag Day in Ukraine”.
He added: “The one we are raising today is signed by Ukrainian defenders, heroes who fight for our freedom, for Ukraine, for our flag.”
Some reporters indicate that a “parade” of destroyed Russian equipment through Kyiv will help mark the occasion…
Interestingly, Russia celebrated its own flag day yesterday, with a flag of more than 1,000 square metres unfolded in Moscow.
In Donetsk, controlled by Russian forces, several cars drove with tricolours through the city.
Ukrainians were seen burning the Russian flag in protest…
We can now bring you footage from an overnight drone attack on central Moscow.
The drone, one of three, is shot down before smashing into a building in the middle of the capital.
The drones were among five to hit Russian territory this morning, with one allegedly dropping a grenade on civilians, killing three in Belgorod.
Watch the footage here…
Six people were injured after Russian forces dropped guided bombs on a kindergarten and residential building in Kherson about 4am this morning, a Ukrainian official has claimed.
A fire broke out as a result of the shelling, but was quickly put out by firefighters, Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson region military administration, wrote on Telegram.
Five of the injured were treated at the scene, while one 22-year-old man was taken to hospital.
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