The Ukrainian air force said 17 different weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles and attack drones, had been used to strike industrial, infrastructure, civilian and military objects, the Reuters news agency reported.
Ukrainian forces shot down three drones and one cruise missile, according to military officials.
Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported that Ukraine’s forces remained on the defensive in the east and south of the country, while an offensive operation was ongoing "in the Melitopol direction," accompanied by "assault efforts on the Bakhmut axis."
'Nearly 80 combat clashes'
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said: "Over the past day, nearly 80 combat clashes occurred. In total, the enemy has launched 15 missile strikes and 79 air strikes, as well as 61 attacks involving MLR systems, targeting Ukrainian military positions and populated areas."
The Ukrainian General Staff added that "civilian casualties were reported" and that "a five-story residential block sustained damage, as well as two churches, an art club, a sports hub, over 20 households, and other civilian infrastructure."
About 130 settlements in Ukraine's Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions came under Russian artillery fire, according to Kyiv's military.
Ukraine in early June launched a counteroffensive against Moscow's forces in the south and east but has made only gradual progress against vast Russian minefields and heavily entrenched troops, according to Reuters.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 603 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: ukrinform.net, Reuters, IAR, PAP
