DEVASTATING RUSSIAN STRIKES POUNDED UKRAINE

June 8 was marked by one of the most massive Russian missile attacks in recent months. Dozens of targets were destroyed as a result of the combined strikes launched in several waves. At night, sirens sounded in all regions across Ukraine. In the first wave, Russian forces launched a large combined attack that included air launched missiles. At about three am local time, a series of large explosions thundered in the Zhitomir, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Odessa regions as well as in the Ukrainian capital. Several more waves of strikes were launched in the morning. Sirens again sounded all around the country. Numerous Russian missiles were circling over Ukraine, forcing the Ukrainian air defense to use its scarce anti-aircraft missiles. Among other weapons, the Russian military used Kh-101, Iskander and hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. New strikes destroyed targets in the Odessa, Poltava, Zhitomir and Sumy regions, as well as in the cities of Krivy Rih, Dnepropetrovsk, Kramatorsk, Kirovograd, Pavlograd, Pokrovsk and again in Kyiv. The massive attacks resulted in heavy losses to the Ukrainian military, including in the capital. The city of Kyiv was pounded by Russian missiles, while the impotent Ukrainian air defense forces not only failed to repel the attacks but their missiles again fell on residential buildings, threatening the lives of civilians. According to preliminary reports, the targets destroyed in Kyiv included large military warehouses at the Artyom military plant. At least three energy substations that provided for the needs of large industrial facilities were destroyed in the city. Another US-made Patriot system was destroyed at the local Zhuliany airfield. The crew that was operating it, which probably included Western military specialists, was destroyed. More Ukrainian airfields, including Ozerne in the Zhitomir region and Mirgorod in the Poltava region came under attack. The targets included military headquarters and industrial facilities used by the Ukrainian military across the country. For example, an administrative building was destroyed in Krivy Rih. A meeting of Ukrainian officers was reportedly being held there. Another target was reportedly a large Ukrainian military column that was heading towards the Russian border in the Sumy region. The Ukrainian military command attempted to reinforce military positions in the border areas in response to Russian attacks on local settlements. As a result, the plan was thwarted. The column was destroyed and the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses both in manpower and equipment. On the other hand, the Ukrainian and NATO military planned another missile attack on the Crimean peninsula but it was thwarted by Russian forces. Russian reconnaissance spotted the movement of ATACMS missile launcher systems in the Kherson region. At the moment when their deployment began, they were immediately struck by Iskanders and destroyed on the spot.