Zelensky Says 137 Ukrainians Dead After First Day of Fighting

 

Russian missiles hit targets acrosss Ukraine

by Dave DeCamp 

Posted onFebruary 24, 2022CategoriesNewsTagsRussia, Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 137 Ukrainians were killed on Thursday during the first day of Russia’s attack on the country.

“Today we have lost 137 of our heroes, our citizens. Military and civilian,” Zelensky said. He added that another 316 people had been wounded.

Russian missiles hit targets across Ukraine throughout the day. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian strikes disabled 83 “facilities of Ukraine’s ground military infrastructure,” destroyed four warplanes and four drones.

Earlier, a Pentagon official said the Russians launched “more than 160 missiles” in airstrikes across Ukraine. The official said most of the missiles are “short-range ballistic missiles,” but some medium-range and cruise missiles have also been launched.

Ukrainian officials said they were fighting Russian forces on multiple fronts. Ukraine’s border service said attacks were carried through the borders of Russia, Belarus, and Crimea.

As of Midnight in Kyiv, Ukraine says its forces are still engaged in fighting or positioned for fighting across the country in the south, northwest, east, and in the Black Sea.

According to the Kyiv Independent, 13 Ukrainian border guards were killed by Russian forces in an attack on Ukraine’s Snake Island in the Black Sea, and the island was eventually captured by Russia.

According to Ukrinform, Russian airstrikes targeted a military base in the village of Lypetske in the southern Odesa region. The report said the strikes killed 18 people.

Fighting was also reported at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which is about 80 miles north of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. Myhailo Podolyak, an aide to Zelensky said Russia took control of the plant after a battle.

President Biden announced sanctions in response to the Russian offensive and ordered the deployment of 7,000 troops to Germany. Both the US and NATO have said they won’t send troops to Ukraine, but the Western powers are bolstering their forces in Eastern Europe.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/02/24/zelensky-says-137-ukrainians-dead-after-first-day-of-fighting/