The aftermath of a Russian air raid early Friday on the city of Dnipro in which a mother and her three-year-old child were killed when their house was hit. Photo courtesy of Ukraine Defense Ministry
April 28 (UPI) — A barrage of Russian air-to-surface missile strikes against cities across central and southern Ukraine early Friday killed 12 people, according to authorities.
In Uman, 10 people including a child were killed when a pre-dawn missile struck an apartment building and a woman and her three-year-old child were killed in Dnipro when their house was hit in the first major aerial attacks since early March.
Calling on the international community to put more pressure on Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said a night of missile and drone attacks had damaged 10 residential buildings in Uman in all, one of which was completely flattened.
“Evil can be stopped by weapons — our defenders are doing it. And it can be stopped by sanctions — global sanctions must be enhanced,” Zelensky added.
The cities of Kremenchuk, Poltava and Ukrainka as well as the capital, Kyiv, were also hit, but no casualties were reported there.
“Uman, Cherkasy region, city of Dnipro, and Ukrainka in Kyiv region. Horrific results of the new Russian large-scale missile attack. Murderers must be punished,” the Ukraine Defense Ministry said in a Twitter post.
Ukrainian air defense systems downed 21 of 23 missiles launched from Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber aircraft and two drones, the ministry added.
The attacks prompted Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba to renew calls for Ukraine to be provided with American F-16 fighters to defend itself.
“The way to peace is to arm Ukraine with F-16s and protect children from Russian terror,” Kuleba said in a Twitter post.
There have been multiple reports from the south of the country that preparations for the long-awaited Ukrainian spring offensive using new equipment supplied by Western allies are underway.
Ukrainian troops are said to be massing on the eastern side of the Dnipro River in the south in possible readiness for a counter-offensive toward occupied Crimea.
Meanwhile, British intelligence said Russia had canceled its so-called War Olympics over fears it would cause offense with the country at war, after senior Russian figures criticized the decision to go ahead with last year’s games.
“Russian nationalist commentators, including former intelligence officer Igor Girkin, fiercely criticized the Russian Ministry of Defence for going ahead with the 2022 iteration,” Britain’s Ministry of Defense said.
“There is also a realistic possibility that due to losses in Ukraine, the Russian MOD is concerned a shortage of tanks, tank crews and other skilled personnel will risk the Russian team’s usual domination of the medals table,” the MoD added.
Moscow has already canceled its annual May 9 Victory Day commemorations marking the end of World War II, because it was worried they may have sparked demonstrations over Ukraine, according to the MoD.