Ukraine hit by fresh Russian missile barrage

Gulf Today Report

Ukraine reported a fresh barrage of Russian missiles and civilian deaths on Saturday.

The death toll from Russia's missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has climbed to 18, officials said on Sunday, while Britain said overnight it will soon send a squadron of its main battle tanks to help Ukraine's defence.

Seventy-three people were injured with 40 in hospital including four in intensive care, Valentyn Reznichenko, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region in central eastern Ukraine, wrote at 7:25 a.m. local time (0525 GMT) on the Telegram messaging app.

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Rescuers toiled through the night searching for survivors. Emergency workers said earlier they had heard people screaming for help from underneath piles of debris.

"The rescue operation is ongoing. The fate of more than 40 people remains unknown," Reznichenko said, adding that the attack had destroyed 72 apartments and damaged more than 230.

A Ukrainian rocket-launcher fires a missile at a Russian target.

The British move drew a swift reaction from Moscow, which warned it would only "intensify" the conflict.

Moldova meanwhile, said debris from the latest Russian missiles had landed on its territory and condemned the attacks.

Ukraine also insisted Saturday that the fighting in Soledar was continuing, a day after Russia's claim that it had captured the ravaged eastern town following a long battle.

Ukraine's top military command said on Sunday that Russia launched three air strikes, 57 missile strikes and carried out 69 attacks from heavy weapon rocket salvo systems on Saturday. Ukrainian forces shot down 26 rockets.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow about the attacks, which represent Russia's largest wave of strikes in two weeks and which came as Ukraine was observing the traditional Old New Year or the Orthodox New Year.