Russia launches missile and drone attacks after accusing Ukraine of using cluster bombs

Europe, News August 7, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Russia launched at least 70 cruise missiles, drones, and hypersonic missiles toward Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of using cluster bombs against civilian targets in the Donetsk region. According to the Russian official, Ukrainian strikes hit a university building in a Russian-controlled city in the Donetsk region on August 6, 2023.

Russian installed mayor in Donetsk Alexei Kulemzin announced on the social media app, Telegram, that “As a result of the latest attack on Donetsk, the first building of the University of Economics and Trade is on fire.” Emergency Minister of Donetsk Alexei Kostrubitsky also announced that the building caught fire as a result of a Ukrainian attack.

Kostrubitsky claimed that Ukrainian forces used cluster munitions in their recent attack that resulted in the blaze, however, the claims were not backed by any independent sources present on site. “The whole roof is on fire,” Kostrubitsky said. “We are using 12 water tanks, three ladders, and 100 firefighters,” he added.

Both sides have been accusing each other of using cluster munition, which is banned all over the world due to the unpredictable risk it causes to civilians. Ukraine has recently started receiving cluster munition from the U.S. and vowed not to use it against civilian targets.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the alleged shelling and use of cluster bombs. Both sides deny targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

*_{Russia’s Kinzhal hypersonic missile placed in the belly of the Mig 31 aircraft. (Image Credit: Radio Sputnik/The Diplomat)}*

Following the latest attack in Donetsk, Russian forces carried out a burst of missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian targets. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian force launched at least 70 cruise missiles, attack drones, and hypersonic missiles toward Ukraine. The Air Force claimed to shoot down 60 of the air-assault weapons while 10 missiles penetrated through the air defense system.

According to the Air Force, 30 out of 40 cruise missiles and all 27 Iranian-made Shahed drones were intercepted and destroyed. “In total, in several waves of attacks, from the evening of Aug. 5 to the morning of Aug. 6, 2023, the enemy used 70 means of air assault weapons,” the Air Force said. “Information about Kinzhals is classified.”

Kyiv also accused Russia of targeting civilian targets including a blood transfusion center in the town of Kupiansk and a railway hub fewer than 10 miles from the front in the eastern Kharkiv region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that several people were killed and wounded during the attack on the blood transfusion center. He said the rescue workers were extinguishing a fire at the scene and described the strike as a “war crime.” Ukrainian officials have not specified the number of casualties as a result of the latest attack.