In a dramatic escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Russia has launched a cruise missile attack on the Odessa region, targeting an industrial area and causing a significant fire and injuries. Furthermore, the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Oblast suffered a deadly strike from Russian ‘Iskander-M’ missiles, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals, including two children, and leaving 34 others injured. Amidst these developments, Russia has intensified its accusations against the United States, asserting that the US played a role in the Ukrainian rocket attack on Sevastopol in Crimea. The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned US Ambassador Lynne Tracy to Moscow, holding the US equally responsible for the attack that claimed the lives of four people, including two children, and injured over 150 others. The US policy change to allow Ukraine the use of longer-range missiles for self-defense has been cited amid these tensions. The Kremlin has threatened ‘consequences’ after the Sevastopol attack, which Russia alleges was carried out using an American missile. As the number of civilian casualties rises, the situation underscores the volatile nature of the ongoing conflict and the broader geopolitical implications it carries.
Key points
- Russia conducted a cruise missile attack on Odessa and used ‘Iskander-M’ missiles in Pokrovsk, resulting in civilian casualties.
- Russia has accused the US of involvement in the Ukrainian rocket attack on Sevastopol, summoning the US Ambassador to Moscow.
- The US has denied direct involvement in the Sevastopol strike, amidst Russian threats of retaliation.
