On October 10th, Russia launched a series of missiles that hit Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv.
Targets included military and energy sites, but as well included the striking of bridges and a children’s playground. These strikes occurred during rush hour when many Ukrainian citizens were headed to work. At least 14 people were killed and over a hundred injured.
Due to the damage, Ukraine has had electrical blackouts and issues with providing water.
The missile strikes were in retaliation for Ukraine’s involved destruction of a bridge linking Russia to Crimea. That bridge was important in the transfer of supplies for the Russian army.
Senior Russian officials like Dmitry Medvedev have warned that the strikes are only “the first episode.”
President Putin has recently made a deal with the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to combine their forces in Belarus. Though Belarus was used by Russian soldiers when they invaded the north of Ukraine, Belarusian troops have not been officially involved in the fighting.
If Belarus were to directly enter the war, its 60,000 soldiers would disrupt Ukrainian counteroffensives and reopen the northern front.
Ukraine’s allies have promised more air defense equipment and condemned Russia’s missile strikes. In a recent vote of the United Nations, 143 nations condemned Russia’s “annexation” of Ukrainian territory.
