Moscow, May 22, (dpa/GNA) – Eight people were injured in Russian overnight drone and missile attacks, on the south-eastern Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, a highly industrialized area, officials said Monday.
Three of the injured were being treated in hospital, the region’s governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram.
Ukraine’s air defence had shot down 15 drones and 4 cruise missiles, he added. Lysak also published photos of heavily damaged homes, businesses and cars.
Also early on Monday, the country’s air force shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet and four missiles, it said in the morning.
In addition, 20 so-called kamikaze drones of the Iranian type Shahed-136/131 were destroyed.
According to the military, Russia fired a total of 16 missiles at the neighbouring country in the overnight attacks.
Russia has been increasingly attacking Ukraine with missiles, drones and cruise missiles since the beginning of May – amid Kiev’s preparations for a major counteroffensive. The capital has also again become the target of repeated overnight air strikes. Early on Monday, it remained quiet in Kiev, the army said.
In its daily intelligence update on the Ukraine war on Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said that Russia was “highly likely” establishing a “new ‘elite’ attack aviation group” called Shtorm to target Ukraine.
The new unit is likely to include “at least one squadron of Su-24 FENCER and Su-34 FULLBACK fighter-bombers, and a squadron of attack helicopters,” it said.
According to British intelligence, the make-up of the unit suggests that it will likely have “a primary role of ground attack missions” and its creation underlines how Russia considers its regular air force squadrons to have “severely underperformed” in the war so far.
The British Ministry of Defence has been publishing daily updates on the course of the Kremlin’s war since the outset, based on intelligence. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
GNA