Escalating Violence in Ukraine: Civilians Bear the Brunt of Recent Shelling
Russian shelling has resulted in the tragic deaths of five Ukrainian civilians over the last 24 hours, primarily in the eastern Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, according to reports from officials on October 12. In Donetsk, three civilians were killed—two in Bohoyavlenka and one in Ivanopil—as regional Governor Vadym Filashkin revealed through Telegram. This violent incident also left eight others injured across the region.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, the toll continued to rise, with a 38-year-old man and a 67-year-old man killed due to Russian shelling in Kozachia Lopan and Kupyansk, respectively, as reported by regional authorities. Russian military operations also targeted populated areas in the Kherson region, including Kherson city. Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin noted that the shelling inflicted damage on a medical facility, an administrative building, a cellular tower, and several residential buildings.
Since Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson in November 2022, pushing Russian troops eastward across the Dnieper River, the city has still been under constant assault from Russian artillery, resulting in casualties and damage to essential civilian and energy infrastructure.
In the Zaporizhzhya region's southeastern parts, reports surfaced of two women and an 11-year-old girl wounded by Russian shelling early on October 12, according to regional Governor Ivan Fedorov.
On a more defensive note, Ukraine's air force reported successfully intercepting 24 out of 28 drones launched by Russia targeting various regions including Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolayiv, and Kherson.
Amid these developments, Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian regions of Belgorod and Krasnodar, resulting in injuries to three individuals early on October 12, Russian officials indicated. In Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a woman and two men were hospitalized with moderate injuries due to the strike on Ustinka.
In Krasnodar, three houses and a vehicle fell victim to the Ukrainian drone strikes, although no injuries were recorded according to regional chief Veniamin Kondratyev.
Additionally, reports emerged from the Russian-occupied eastern Luhansk region, where local Telegram channels indicated a fuel depot was ablaze in Rovenky, though there was no official confirmation of the incident. This fire marks the second such blaze at a fuel depot in the area, following an earlier attack in May that led to several fatalities.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces managed to intercept 17 drones over Krasnodar, 12 over Kursk, two over Belgorod, while another 16 were taken down off the Sea of Azov coast.
Ukraine, grappling with extensive damage to its infrastructure from relentless Russian drone and missile attacks that claim civilian lives, has increasingly targeted Russian military sites, particularly fuel depots, with its own drone strikes.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, fresh off a whirlwind tour of Ukraine's major European allies, has been advocating for the approval of modern long-range weapon systems from the West to strike deeper into Russian territory. Thus far, however, these requests have largely gone unanswered by Western leaders.
During his visit to Berlin on October 11, Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of continued and consistent support from Ukraine's allies as the country faces challenging months ahead in its ongoing battle to halt the gradual Russian advance in the east.
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