Ukraine’s F-16 jets intercept Russian missiles in apparent first

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia fired dozens of missiles and drones throughout Ukraine for a second day on Tuesday, together with some that Ukraine’s president mentioned have been shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets earlier than they reached their targets.

The onslaught killed no less than 5 individuals, destroying a resort, houses and residential buildings in addition to vital infrastructure in a number of Ukrainian areas. Kyiv and different cities had energy outages in sweltering warmth.

Because it usually does in statements after Russian bombing raids, Ukraine’s army listed the Russian areas and occupied territories the place the weapons have been launched. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and different high officers have known as repeatedly for the U.S. to elevate restrictions and let Ukraine strike deep inside Russia to hit army infrastructure accountable for the conflict.

″(The allies) attempt to not communicate with me about it. However I hold elevating this matter. Typically, that’s it. The Olympics are over, however the ping-pong continues,” Zelenskyy mentioned.

In feedback addressing the obvious first use by Ukraine of the F-16s to shoot down a missile, Zelenskyy thanked Ukraine’s supporters for them however mentioned there have been too few, and too few pilots skilled to fly them.

Among the many Russian areas listed as a supply of Tuesday’s assault was Kursk, the place the pinnacle of the Ukrainian military mentioned his troops have gained management of practically 500 sq. miles since their shock incursion three weeks in the past. That’s roughly the dimensions of Los Angeles.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi additionally mentioned Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners within the operation, which he mentioned was supposed to attract Russia’s army away from the preventing in Ukraine. His claims couldn’t be independently confirmed.

The Kursk operation, the most important incursion into Russia since World Struggle II, has compelled some 130,000 residents to evacuate their houses. Russia has despatched reinforcements into the area, nevertheless it was not clear to what extent the actions is perhaps weakening Russia’s positions in Ukrainian territory.

Combating within the area has raised issues about risks to the Kursk nuclear energy plant, mentioned Worldwide Atomic Power Company chief Rafael Grossi, who visited it Tuesday. He mentioned in a put up on X the state of affairs was “severe” and known as any assault on a nuclear plant unacceptable.

“There’s now a hazard of a nuclear incident right here,” Grossi mentioned. “Immediately I used to be instructed about a number of instances of drone assaults on the territory, on the plant’s services. On the plant I noticed traces of those assaults.”

However the plant now’s working “in a mode very near regular,” he mentioned.

The Russian Protection Ministry asserted Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk — some 6,600 troops killed or injured — and that greater than 70 tanks have been destroyed together with scores of armored automobiles. These figures couldn’t be independently confirmed.

The pinnacle of the Ukrainian military’s declare of territorial management got here hours after the second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile assaults from Russia.

5 individuals have been reported killed and 16 injured within the assaults, which Zelenskyy mentioned included 81 drones in addition to cruise and ballistic missiles.

Within the Kyiv area, which struggled with blackouts after Monday’s onslaught that focused power services all through the nation, 5 air alerts have been known as through the evening. The regional administration mentioned air defenses destroyed all of the drones and missiles however falling particles set off forest fires.

After Monday’s barrage throughout Ukraine of greater than 100 missiles and an analogous variety of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal mentioned “the power infrastructure has as soon as once more turn into the goal of Russian terrorists” and urged Ukraine’s allies to offer it with long-range weapons and permission to make use of them on targets inside Russia.

President Joe Biden known as Monday’s Russian assault on power infrastructure “outrageous” and mentioned he had “reprioritized U.S. air protection exports so they’re despatched to Ukraine first.” He additionally mentioned the U.S. was “surging power gear to Ukraine to restore its methods and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine’s power grid.”

The Russian Protection Ministry mentioned the assaults used “long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones towards vital power infrastructure services that help the operation of Ukraine’s military-industrial complicated. All designated targets have been hit.”

Russian officers reported 4 Ukrainian missiles have been shot down over the Kursk area.

Related Press author Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.