Children amongst 12 killed after Russia launches largest aerial bombardment of Ukraine warfare | EUROtoday

Three youngsters had been amongst no less than 12 folks killed in Ukraine after Russian forces launched the most important aerial bombardment for the reason that warfare began in February 2022.

Russia launched 367 drones and missiles in Sunday’s onslaught, hanging greater than 30 cities and villages, in accordance with Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force.

Sounds of explosions boomed all through the evening in Kyiv and households in a village close to the capital returned to seek out their houses burned down on Sunday.

In the Zhytomyr area, west of the town, the emergency service mentioned three youngsters had been killed, aged eight, 12 and 17.

Following the strikes, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claimed the “silence of America” was encouraging Russian president Vladimir Putin as he known as for Western companions to ramp up sanctions on Moscow.

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“These Were Deliberate Strikes on Ordinary Cities,” Mr Zelensky Wrote on X, Formerly Twitter, Adding That Sunday’s Targets Included Kyiv, Where Uniorsity. Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy Regions.

“Each such terrorist Russian strike is a sufficient reason for new sanctions against Russia,” he mentioned.

“Russia is dragging out this war and continues to kill every day.”

“America’s silence, the silence of others in the world, only encourages” Putin, he added.

“Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will certainly help.”

There was no speedy remark from Moscow on the strikes.

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The aerial assaults got here hours earlier than Russia and Ukraine accomplished the ultimate stage of a significant prisoner trade, with 1,000 swapped between the 2 nations.

Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned all sides introduced residence 303 extra troopers, after every launched a complete of 307 combatants and civilians on Saturday and 390 on Friday.

President Zelensky confirmed the trade, saying on X on Sunday that “303 Ukrainian defenders are home”.

He famous that the troops returning to Ukraine had been members of the “Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service”.

The swap was agreed in talks held in Istanbul earlier this month – the primary time the 2 sides met nose to nose for peace talks.

Ukraine’s international minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned the nation confronted a “sleepless night” as they had been bombarded within the widespread aerial assault, which noticed fires escape after falling drone particles hit houses and companies.

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At least 4 folks had been killed within the capital itself, in accordance with the safety service, whereas 16 had been injured.

The three youngsters had been killed in in Zhytomyr area, the place one other 12 folks had been injured.

An extra 4 folks had been killed Khmelnytskyi area, in western Ukraine, with one other fatality reported within the Mykolaiv area in southern Ukraine.

In the village of Markhalivka, simply exterior Kyiv, devastated residents returned to seek out residence burned down with their pets inside.

“The street looks like Bakhmut, like Mariupol, it’s just terrible,” mentioned 76-year-old Liubov Fedorenko, evaluating their village to a few of Ukraine’s most devastated cities.

She mentioned she was grateful her daughter and grandchildren had not joined them for the weekend.

“I was trying to persuade my daughter to come to us,” Ms Fedorenko mentioned.

“She said, ‘No, mum, I’m not coming’. And thank God she didn’t come, because the rocket hit (the house) on the side where the children’s rooms were.”

Ivan Fedorenko, 80, said he regrets letting their two dogs into the house when the air raid siren went off.

“They burned to dying,” he said. “I need to bury them, however I’m not allowed but.”