13 killed and dozens injured by the Russian attack in the south of Ukraine

2025-01-08 18:36:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukrainian officials say at least 13 people have been killed and dozens injured in a Russian airstrike in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Wednesday's attack was carried out in an industrial district in the city, said Ivan Federov, head of the regional administration.

Footage released by emergency services shows the mangled and bloodied bodies of people on the city's pavements as firefighters rush to put out fires in cars and a nearby administrative building.

"There is nothing more cruel than airstrikes on the city, knowing that ordinary citizens will suffer," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

It is unclear what weapon was used, however the extent of the damage and the number of casualties suggest that a powerful weapon was used.

Ukrainian authorities, who had earlier sounded sirens warning of airstrikes, warned of the possibility of a missile attack or perhaps a bomb - a remote-controlled air-launched weapon that Russia has used with devastating effect against Ukrainian defenses.

There was no immediate comment from Russian officials on the attack.

Earlier, Ukraine claimed to have hit an oil depot inside Russian territory, which served as a strategic airbase in the southern Saratov region.

"Ukrainian defense forces hit a Russian oil depot in Engels" in the Saratov region, the General Staff of the Ukrainian army said in a statement published on social media.

"We must emphasize that this oil depot supplied fuel to the military air base, Engels-2, where the strategic aviation of the enemy is located," the announcement added.

Since early 2024, Russian refineries have been regularly hit by Ukrainian drones. In some of them, the main oil processing units were damaged and required repairs. Russia has said it has partially restored capacity at several key oil refineries.

The attack came as Ukrainian forces resumed offensive operations in several directions inside Russia's Kursk region, which analysts say gives Kiev the upper hand in any potential ceasefire or peace talks with Moscow.

US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on January 7 that he is eager to see the start of negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine after he returns to the White House on January 20, but did not elaborate on when. their potential.

Trump said he wants negotiations to start as soon as possible because "Russia is losing a lot of young people, and so is Ukraine."

The war in Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine.

The West has responded to Russia, hitting the economy of this country with harsh sanctions.

As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced from their homes. /REL