According to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, a missile hit the nine-story apartment at 6:30 a.m. Rescue teams saved 25 people from the building.
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HARRY SUSILO AND KRIS MADA FROM UKRAINE
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AFP/DANIEL MIHAILESCU
A mother and her four children from Ukraine wait aboard a ferry going to Romania at the border point Isaccea-Orlovka between Romania and Ukraine, in Isaccea March 8, 2022. More than two million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion less than two weeks ago, the United Nations said on March 8, 2022.
Russia stepped up its attack days before the European Council held a summit to determine Ukraine’s status in the European Union.
SUMY, KOMPAS — A 7-year-old girl was one of the 25 victims of a Russian attack on Sunday (26/6/2022) in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Russians insisted that their missile strike targeted a military facility near the apartment complex where the girl lived. Russia’s attacks have intensified since Ukraine was granted EU candidate status.
According to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, a missile hit the nine-story apartment at 6:30 a.m. Rescue teams saved 25 people from the building. “There are four people receiving treatment,” he said.
The apartment is 300 meters from the former Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv. Now, the Indonesian Embassy is located 6 kilometers from the site of the attack. Meanwhile, Mariinsky Palace, which houses the Presidential Office of Ukraine, was 4 km away from the site of the missile strike.
In an official statement, Russia claimed that the missile had targeted a military facility located in an apartment in Shevchenkivskyi district. Moscow did not specify what type of facility had been targeted.
Apart from the apartments, the area only had shops selling goods for various daily needs.
Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s Presidential Chief of Staff, refuted the Russian statement, saying that the apartment was located in a residential area. Apart from the apartments, the area only had shops selling goods for various daily needs.
According to the Ukrainian Attorney General’s Office, 611 children have been injured since the war began on 24 Feb. 2022, while 339 children have been killed in the war.
Their suffering is compounded by the fact that millions of children have been displaced inside and outside Ukraine. Because the war broke out a few weeks after the first academic semester of 2022, many children are now finding it hard to receive an education.
Cruise missile
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said missiles were fired on Kyiv from the Caspian Sea. Tupolev Tu-95 and Tupolev Tu-160 bombers fired the X101 missiles nearly 1,500 km over the sea from Kyiv. The X101 missile can reach a maximum range of 5,500 km.
AP/EVGENIY MALOLETKA
The children of medical workers warm themselves in a blanket as they wait for their relatives in a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 4, 2022.
“Bombers do not need to enter Ukrainian territory. They fly, set targets and fire missiles,” said Ignat.
Russia continues to rely on missiles, some inherited from the Soviet Union, to launch strikes on various locations in Ukraine. On Saturday (25/6), Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Russia fired 1,000 projectiles every hour targeting Ukraine.
Ignat admitted that not all projectiles could be intercepted. This was because the Ukrainian air defense artillery was designed to intercept jets and helicopters. The maximum speed of a fighter jet was 2,000 km per hour, while some Russian missiles could exceed 3,000 km per hour.
While the Ukrainian Air Force was able to intercept 10 missiles, the rest hit various targets.
The attacks in Kyiv on Sunday morning and across Ukraine on Saturday showed that Ukrainian aircraft were unable to intercept the Russian missiles. According to Kyiv, Russia fired 48 missiles on Saturday. While the Ukrainian Air Force was able to intercept 10 missiles, the rest hit various targets.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the missiles fired on Saturday had targeted various military targets in Chernihiv, Zhytomir and Lviv. All targets were combat training centers for soldiers, militias and the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.
Russia stepped up its attack days before the European Council held a summit to determine Ukraine’s EU status. Earlier last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a potential increase in Russian attacks.
State visits
Moscow intensified its attack before the warning had been issued. The rain of missiles, artillery and rockets increased after the leaders of six European countries visited Kyiv on 16-17 June 2022. During their visit, Russia continued to fire missiles at various targets outside Kyiv.
So far, only European leaders and United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has visited Kyiv. This week, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is visiting Kyiv. He is the first Asian leader to visit Ukraine since the war began.
TANGKAPAN LAYAR KANAL YOUTUBE SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
President Joko Widodo.
President Jokowi is to visit Ukraine after attending the G7 summit in Germany. Besides Indonesia, G7 chair Germany also invited India, Senegal and South Africa. Together with Indonesia, India and South Africa are also part of the G20, which Indonesia is chairing this year. Senegal is currently the rotating chair of the African Union.
In a statement to the press delivered at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday regarding his overseas visit, President Jokowi said that Indonesia would encourage and invite G7 countries to join hands and support peace efforts in Ukraine.
“Indeed, it will be challenging, but Indonesia will continue its effort. After Germany, I will visit Ukraine and meet with President Zelenskyy. The mission is to invite President Zelenskyy to open a space for dialogue in the context of peace, in order to build peace,” said President Jokowi.
According to the President, space for dialogue needed to be created because the war must end. Activities related to the food supply chain must be resumed.
“From Ukraine, I will go to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin. With the same mission, I will invite President Putin to open a space for dialogue so they can soon make a ceasefire and end the war,” he said.
Similar tactics
The battle is intensifying in eastern and southern Ukraine. Sumy military commander Dmytro Zhyvytskyi said Yunakivka and Shalyhyne were targeted by Russian mortars on Sunday morning. “The number of victims and the amount of damage are still being verified,” he said.
Donetsk military commander Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russia was trying to annex Sloviansk, and accused Russia of using the same tactics it used in Sievierodonetsk and Mariupol to conquer Sloviansk. “We have seen an increase in troops, weapons, heavy vehicles and artillery around Sloviansk,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sievierodonetsk surrendered after holding out for 120 days.
Prior to occupying Mariopol in Donetsk and Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk, Russia concentrated its forces there. After a nearly two-month siege and almost relentless daily bombardment, Mariupol was captured by the Russians. Meanwhile, Sievierodonetsk surrendered after holding out for 120 days.
Luhansk military commander Sergei Gaidai announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Sievierodonetsk on Friday (24/6) for the safety of the soldiers on the battlefield.
One city in Luhansk that is still preservering is Lysychansk. The city next to Sievierodonetsk is now under Russian siege from at least three directions. The villages surrounding it are already under Russian control. (CAS/INA)
