UK claims Russia conducting missile attacks on Ukraine from Russian & Belarusian airspace

Ukrainian forces using strikes behind Russian lines continue to hinder Russian command and control, the UK Defence Ministry said in the latest assessment about the ongoing situation in war-torn nation. The British Defence Ministry said that Ukrainian armed forces continue to consolidate their positions in Lyschansak after they pulled back from Severedonetsk. It further said that Russia launched long-range missiles strikes on Ukraine from Belarusian and Russian airspace between 24-26 June. 

The latest assessment of UK Defence Ministry comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine reached its day 125. The British Defence Ministry stated that the weapons used by Russian forces included the Soviet-era AS-4 KITCHEN and more modern AS-23a KODIAK missiles which they fired from Belarusian and Russian airspace. The UK intelligence noted that these weapons have been made to hit targets of strategic importance, however, Russian forces ue them for tactical advantage. According to Britain, the core elements of six different armies of Russia have been able to achieve tactical success at Severodonetsk. It claimed that Russian forces have been "hollowed out" and they acknowledge the level of "degraded combat effectiveness, which is probably unsustainable in the long term." 

"Over 24-26 June, Russia launched unusually intense waves of strikes across Ukraine using long-range missiles. These weapons highly likely included the Soviet-era AS-4 KITCHEN and more modern AS-23a KODIAK missiles, fired from both Belarusian and Russian airspace," the UK Defence Ministry said in the latest intelligence update. 

Zelenskyy calls attack on shopping mall 'a defiant terrorist attack'

Russian forces targeted a shopping mall in Kremenchuk city of Ukraine on Monday, 27 June, according to AP. At least 16 people have died and around 60 others have been injured in the attack, according to Ukraine's emergency services. Plumes of black smoke and flames emanated from the mall and emergency workers reached the spot to rescue people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy termed the attack on a shopping mall in Kremenchuk as "one of the most defiant terrorist attacks" in Europe's history. In his late-night address on 27 June, Zelenskyy said that Russian forces have used around 2,800 cruise missiles against Ukraine. According to AP, Zelenskyy said that the mall posed "no threat" to Russian forces and stressed that it had "no strategic value." He accused Russian forces of sabotaging people's attempts to lead a normal life. Zelenskyy further said, "The Russian state has become the largest terrorist organization in the world. And this is a fact. And this must be a legal fact."

Inputs from AP

Image: AP