RomaniareportedthataRussiandroneviolateditsairspaceduringnighttimeattacksonUkraine,urgingMoscowtoceasewhatitdescribedasanescalation.
Inresponse,RomaniadeployedF-16fighterjetstomonitoritsairspace,whileNATOallieswerekeptinformed.Romanianauthoritiesalsosentemergencytextalertstoresidentsintwoeasternregions.
Preliminarydataindicatestheremaybean“impactzone”inanuninhabitedareaneartheRomanianvillageofPeriprava,theministrysaid.Itaddedthataninvestigationisunderway.
SinceRussiainvadedUkraineinFebruary2022,RomaniahasconfirmeddronefragmentsonitsterritoryonseveraloccasionsandasrecentlyasJulythisyear.
TheRomanianDefenseMinistrystronglycondemnedtheRussianattacksonUkraine,callingthem“unjustifiedandinseriouscontradictionwiththenormsofinternationallaw.”
MirceaGeoana,NATO’soutgoingdeputysecretary-generalandRomania’sformertopdiplomat,saidthemilitaryalliancealsocondemnedRussia’sviolationofRomanianairspace.“WhilewehavenoinformationindicatinganintentionalattackbyRussiaagainstAllies,theseactsareirresponsibleandpotentiallydangerous,”hewroteonX.
InUkraine,twociviliansdiedandfourmoresufferedwoundsinanighttimeRussianairstrikeonthenortherncityofSumy,theregionalmilitaryadministrationreported.Twochildrenwereamongthosewounded,theadministrationsaid.IntheKharkivregionintheeast,overnightshellingkilledtwoelderlywomen,accordingtolocalGov.OlehSyniehubov.
Duringthenight,Ukrainianairdefensesshotdownoneoffourcruisemissilesand15of23Iranian-madeShaheddroneslaunchedbyRussia,Ukraine’sairforcereported.Itaddedthatnoneofthecruisemissileshadhittargets.
LateronSunday,threewomenwerekilledafterRussianforcesshelledavillageintheeasternDonetskregion,Gov.VadymFilashkinreportedontheTelegrammessagingapp.Elsewhereintheprovince,rescueteamspulledthebodiesoftwomenfromtherubbleofahoteldestroyedonSaturdayeveninginaRussianairstrike,accordingtoUkraine’sstateemergencyservice.
Thatsameday,thedeathtollroseto58fromthemassiveRussianmissilestrikethatonTuesdayblastedamilitaryacademyandnearbyhospitalintheeasterncityofPoltava,regionalGov.FilipProninreported.Morethan320otherswerewounded.
Sinceitlaunchedafull-scaleinvasionofUkraineinearly2022,theRussianmilitaryhasrepeatedlyusedmissilestosmashciviliantargets,sometimeskillingscoresofpeopleinasingleattack.
Poltavaisabout200milessoutheastofKyiv,onthemainhighwayandrailroutebetweenKyivandUkraine’ssecond-largestcity,Kharkiv,whichisclosetotheRussianborder.
TheattackhappenedasUkrainianforcessoughttocarveouttheirholdingsinRussia’sKurskborderregionafterasurpriseincursionthatbeganAug.6,astheRussianarmyhacksitswaydeeperintoeasternUkraine.
RussianforcescontinuedtheirmontshlonggrindingpushtowardsthecityofPokrovsk,andalsorampedupattacksnearthetownofKurakhovefarthersouth,Ukraine’sGeneralStaffreported.
Russia’sDefenseMinistrysaidSundayitstroopshadtakenNovohrodivka,asmalltownsome11milessoutheastofPokrovsk.AnupdatepublishedSaturdayeveningbyDeepState,aUkrainianbattlefieldanalysissite,saidRussianforceshad“advanced”inNovohrodivkaandcapturedNevelske,avillageinthesoutheastofthePokrovskdistrict.
Pokrovsk,whichhadaprewarpopulationofabout60,000,isoneofUkraine’smaindefensivestrongholdsandakeylogisticshubintheDonetskregion.ItscapturewouldcompromiseUkraine’sdefenseandsupplyroutes,andwouldbringRussiaclosertoitsstatedaimofcapturingtheentireDonetskregion.
