"Response" announced

Zelensky threatens retaliation for air strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi

(Bild: AP)

After Russia carried out heavy airstrikes on Ukraine early on Monday morning, President Volodymyr Zelensky threatened Russia with retaliation. A military response is being prepared. On Tuesday, however, there were further fatalities in Russian airstrikes in Ukraine.

On Monday, at least four people were killed and the energy infrastructure severely damaged in one of the heaviest Russian airstrikes on Ukraine in recent weeks. The Ukrainian president spoke of "one of the largest Russian attacks". According to him, Russia fired at least 127 missiles and 109 drones. The attack led to widespread power cuts.

Russia sent bombers and drones again on Tuesday 
On Tuesday, another air alert was triggered in large parts of the country. The Ukrainian air force declared that Russia had launched bombers and drones that would fly towards Ukraine. 

A house destroyed after Russian air strikes in the Odessa region.

(Bild: APA/AFP)

Two people were killed in the town of Kryvyi Rih in the center of the country on Tuesday night, local officials said. In addition, two people were "probably missing under the rubble", regional governor Serhij Lysak announced on the online service Telegram. According to official information, two people were also killed in Zaporizhzhya in the south-east.

More Russian prisoners of war taken
In his video message on Monday evening, Zelensky announced that F-16 fighter jets supplied by the West would be used in the military response. However, he also referred once again to the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian region of Kursk, which has been ongoing for three weeks. The Ukrainian troops had extended their control there and once again taken Russian prisoners of war, which improved the possibilities for exchanging prisoners.

Footage from the Russian Ministry of Defense showed missile launches.

(Bild: AP)

The President also justified the invasion in the Kursk region by saying that the Western allies had not yet released long-range weapons for use on Russian territory. The presence of Ukrainian troops and their efforts to eliminate the Russian threat were a way of compensating for the lack of authorization.

Moscow shows no willingness for dialog
On August 6, Ukraine invaded the Kursk region with around 10,000 soldiers. Selensky had also said that this was intended to increase the pressure on Moscow to enter into negotiations for a just peace. Following the invasion, however, Russia declared its willingness to engage in talks null and void.

In his video address, Selensky also reported on problems in his own country in the fight against the Russian war of aggression. According to this, he received reports of collaborators and criminal proceedings against Ukrainians who defended the Russian aggression or even participated in the war against Kiev. The Ukrainian secret service repeatedly reports arrests and sentences in such cases.

Escape from military service a problem for Ukraine
At a meeting with the heads of the General Prosecutor's Office and the Border Guard, the main topic of discussion was illegal flight from the country, said Selenskyj. Many Ukrainians fleeing war operations pay smugglers to leave the country via the green border. Selensky announced a plan to solve the problems. Corruption in conscription offices, where conscripts sometimes buy their way out of military service by paying money for a certificate of unfitness, is also to be combated.