KYIV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian offensive on Friday targeted the town of Rylsk in Russia’s Kursk region using missiles supplied by the United States, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, including a child, according to local officials. This strike occurred only hours after a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, which was reported to have taken at least one life and left 13 others injured.
Russian authorities contended that the missile strike in Kyiv was a reprisal for a prior Ukrainian incursion into Russian borders, which utilized American-made weaponry. Following the attack in Rylsk, ten additional individuals were admitted to hospitals, among them a 13-year-old, as stated by Kursk’s acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein, who did not provide any further information on the incident.
The Russian military is currently striving to counter a Ukrainian infiltration into Kursk that began in early August, but Ukrainian forces have established strong positions there. The HIMARS missile launchers, which are truck-mounted and equipped with GPS-guided missiles, have a striking range of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles). These mobile systems are designed to be elusive to opponent detection and can quickly relocate after firing to avoid retaliation.
In response to the escalating conflict and following a consideration of the situation, President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to deploy U.S.-provided missiles for operations deeper within Russia, removing previous limitations on such munitions. This decision was reportedly influenced by Russia’s engagement of thousands of North Korean troops to enhance their military efforts.
On the morning of the attack, Kyiv experienced a barrage of at least three loud explosions. According to Ukraine’s air force, five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles were intercepted, preventing further destruction. Despite this, the assaults resulted in power outages that affected 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities, and 30 educational institutions, as noted by city officials. Falling debris from the missiles caused fires and damage across three districts.
The Ukrainian air force urged citizens to remain vigilant and to react promptly to alerts regarding ballistic threats due to the insufficient time available for seeking shelter during attacks. Throughout the nearly three years of conflict, Russia has consistently targeted Ukrainian civilian areas, often aiming to compromise infrastructure and instill fear within the populace. Meanwhile, Ukraine has endeavored to hit Russian infrastructure that supports military operations.
In Kyiv, the debris from the intercepted missiles inflicted damage on numerous high-rise buildings, including the historical St. Nicholas Catholic Church and the Kyiv National Linguistic University. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that shockwaves from a low-flying missile may have caused windows to shatter and led to damage at six diplomatic missions.
About five hours after the initial attack, air raid alerts sounded once more. Valeriia Dubova, a 32-year-old photographer, sought refuge with many others in a packed subway station. She recounted her experience during the morning assault, describing how she felt her home vibrate from the explosions. She observed emergency services swiftly responding, as firetrucks and ambulances navigated through the streets.
The Russian Defense Ministry indicated that their missile attack in Kyiv was a reaction to a Ukrainian strike on the Rostov region two days earlier. During that earlier incident, Ukraine reportedly employed six American-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow missiles provided by the UK against a Rostov oil refinery, which was part of their broader strategy to strike infrastructure aiding Russia’s military efforts.
The Kremlin has expressed strong discontent regarding the use of Western-supplied weaponry against Russian targets. Ukraine had fired American missiles into Russia for the first time on November 19 after restrictions were lifted by Washington. This shift prompted Russia to subsequently unveil a new hypersonic missile named Oreshnik, with President Vladimir Putin hinting that it could potentially be utilized to target government sites in Kyiv; however, reports of its deployment have been scarce.
In retaliation for the Ukrainian action on Rostov, the Russian military claimed they executed a strike targeting the headquarters of Ukraine’s military intelligence and facilities linked to the production of Neptune missile systems. Furthermore, the Russian Defense Ministry asserted that the operation also engaged Ukrainian cruise missile systems as well as American-made Patriot air defense systems.
Despite claims of success in these strikes, their accuracy and outcomes remain unverified. In other reports of civilian suffering due to Russian assaults, six people, among them a 15-year-old girl, were injured by missile fire in Kryvyi Rih. This marked the second consecutive night of attacks affecting the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Additionally, Russian artillery barraged the southern region of Kherson on Friday morning, inflicting significant damage and leaving approximately 60,000 residents without electricity, as reported by regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
