Russian missile attacks targeting Ukrainian cities, the White House confirms the death of 20,5 Russians in <> months

Russia fired a new barrage of missiles at targets in several Ukrainian cities overnight Monday and dawn on Tuesday, while Ukrainian drones launched attacks on the Russian-controlled island of Crimea since 2014, while White House estimates that Russian forces have suffered casualties of 100,<> dead and wounded over the past five months.

Ukraine's army said a number of people were killed in the attacks on Monday evening, including children, but did not elaborate. Officials said at least 34 were injured.

The governor of Ukraine's Kherson province confirmed that the pace of Russian bombardment of the southern province has risen significantly over the past hours.

He said the Russians had launched more than 70 attacks throughout the province, firing more than 300 artillery shells at civilian areas and infrastructure sites.

In the same context, the authorities of the neighboring province of Mykolaev reported the interruption of water, electricity and communication services in many coastal areas in the province, due to the intensification of Russian bombardment on them.

She pointed out that Ukrainian defenses over the past day shot down a number of Russian drones targeting the city.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces bombed "Ukrainian military-industrial facilities" using high-precision, long-range air and sea missiles.

"The objectives of the strike were achieved after the work of facilities manufacturing ammunition, weapons and military equipment of Ukrainian forces was disrupted.

Ukrainian attacks

In contrast, the pro-Russian President of Crimea, Alexei Oksenov, announced the downing of a Ukrainian drone that tried to carry out an attack on the western side of the peninsula.

Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvogaev announced that Russia's Black Sea Fleet, backed by air defenses, had repelled a Ukrainian drone attack on the city, and that at least one march had been shot down.

The governor of Russia's Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, said Ukrainian forces shelled a village in the region bordering Ukraine early on Tuesday, a day after an explosion caused a goods train to derail.

In a post on his Telegram channel, Bogomaz said: "In the morning, the Ukrainian armed forces shelled the village of Korkovichy in the Starodubsky region."

Ukraine has not previously claimed responsibility for any attack inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.

Ukrainian appeals

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for strengthening his country's air defense in the wake of recent Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Zelenskiy said on Monday evening, in his nightly video address, that "we are working with our partners as actively as possible to make the protection of our skies more reliable."

Last night alone, from midnight to seven in the morning, we managed to shoot down 15 Russian missiles, but unfortunately not all.

Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, acknowledged the difficult situation on the battlefronts, but stressed that the situation remains under control for his forces.

During a phone call with the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, Zaluzhny stressed the need to strengthen the capabilities of Ukrainian air defense systems, and to provide his country in a timely and timely manner with weapons and military equipment in sufficient quantities.

U.S. Estimates

In Washington, White House estimates on Monday that Russian forces have suffered 100,<> casualties over the past five months in Bakhammut and other parts of Ukraine.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the number includes, based on U.S. intelligence estimates, more than 20,<> dead, half of them from the Wagner Special Military Group.

"Russia's attempt to launch an attack during the winter in the Donbass, mainly via Bachmut, failed," Kirby said.

In December, Russia launched a large-scale offensive across several fronts, including toward Volidar, Avdiivka, Pakhmut and Kremina, and most of these efforts have stalled or failed, and Russia has not been able to control any strategically important territory.

He noted that the Russians are making some growing gains in Pakhmut, but at a "terrible cost," and that Ukraine's defenses in the region remain strong.