Around 21 Ukrainians died this morning after Russia unleashed bombs in retaliation to what they believe was an assassination attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia claims that Ukraine targeted the Kremlin with its own drones and tried to assassinate Putin, despite him not being in the building at the time. Footage shows the moment a drone hit the top of the government building and set it on fire.
Moscow then launched a wave of kamikaze drones mainly targeting Kyiv and Odesa the same night and the following morning.
They also hit multiple civilian sites in Kherson, killing 21.
Responding to the Russian strikes, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said: "At the moment, 21 people have been killed and 48 injured! In less than a day! In one region alone!
"A railway station and a crossroads, a building, a tool shop, a supermarket and a petrol station: do you know what these places have in common?
“The bloody trail that Russia is leaving with its shells, killing civilians in Kherson and the region.”
Zelensky said the “world must see and know” what happened adding Ukraine “will never forgive” but instead “will overcome and all perpetrators will be held accountable”.
After the brutal night of shelling, residents in Kherson stocked up on food and water before a 56-hour curfew, due to begin on Friday evening, began.
Some residents told the Guardian that they moved to safer locations further from the river, as they said they were anticipating “something big” over the coming days.
Elsewhere, Russia used Iranian-made drones during its third attack on Kyiv in six days. Explosions were heard in the capital and elsewhere during the night as Ukrainian air defences shot down 21 of the drones.
Meanwhile, a massive blaze broke out at a Russian oil depot in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, east of the Russian-held Crimean Peninsula, according to Krasnodar Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev.
He didn’t say what caused it, but some Russian media outlets said it was likely from a Ukrainian drone attack. There was no official comment on that possibility.
Military analysts think Ukraine is targeting Russian supply lines while gearing up for a possible counteroffensive amid improving weather and as it receives more weapons and ammunition from the West.
Zelenskyy said today he was convinced that Russian President Putin would face an international war crimes court when Ukraine wins the war that has been raging for over a year.
