Global Courant
A Russian regional governor says three people were slightly injured after a drone crashed into a residential building in the center of Voronezh, a city in southwestern Russia near the border with Ukraine.
By means ofJAMEY KEATEN and JOANNA KOZLOWSKA Associated Press
Ukrainian soldiers fire the grenade launcher at the Russian frontline positions near Kreminna, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 8, 2023. (Roman Chop via AP)
The associated press
Kyiv, Ukraine — Three people were slightly injured after a drone crashed into a residential building in Voronezh, a city in southwestern Russia near the border with Ukraine, the regional governor said.
The latest drone attack on Russian cities in recent weeks comes as Ukraine intensified its efforts to expel Russian troops from much of southern and eastern Ukraine that they invaded more than 15 months ago on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.
In a Telegram post, regional governor Alexander Gusev said the three residents were injured by shards of broken windows and received help on the spot. Russian state media published photos of an apartment building with some blown windows and damage to the facade.
Such drone strikes — which have previously hit residential areas in southern Krasnodar and even one in the Kremlin — along with cross-border raids in southwestern Russia have exposed blatant breaches in Russian air defenses and porous border security.
Ukrainian authorities have generally denied any role in such attacks.
Separately on Friday, the Ukrainian presidency website posted an overnight video statement by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alluding to the latest efforts by his country’s armed forces to drive out the Russian invaders, passing through various parts of the more than 1,000 kilometers long front line.
Zelenskyy, speaking in what appeared to be a selfie video from a train car after a visit to flood-stricken southern Ukraine, said he was in contact with Ukrainian troops “in all the hottest areas” of the battle and praised an unspecified ” result” of their efforts.
Ukrainian authorities have generally kept quiet about their latest military actions, refusing to join growing comments from Western military pundits and others that a long-awaited counter-offensive was underway.
Zelensky reiterated that government position on Friday, saying it was “not yet time” to talk about the details of the fighting.
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Kozlowska reported from London.
