A pro-Russian source said Vladimir Putin’s 21-drone attack on a Ukraine army facility was an attempt to “destroy” weapons supplied by NATO.
Shahed The drone strike targeted a facility storing missiles and ammunition in the city of Khmelnitsky in western Ukraine and triggered a huge mushroom-shaped explosion around 3:05 a.m. on Friday.
But a pro-Russia source now claims Putin is attempting to destroy Ukraine’s “superior military firepower” before it has a chance to launch a retaliatory strike.
It comes after the UK supplied Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow missiles capable of carrying a 992lb warhead up to 200 miles.
According to the city’s military administration, four drones attacked the facility and another 17 were shot down by the Ukrainian air defense.
Vladimir Putin’s 21-drone attack on a Ukrainian army facility was an attempt to “destroy” NATO-supplied weapons amid fears that the war-torn country now has “superior” military firepower.
Shahed’s drone strike, in the western Ukrainian city of Khmelnitsky, struck a facility storing missiles and ammunition and triggered a massive mushroom cloud explosion.
Twenty-one victims were reported, two required hospital treatment and the others required outpatient care.
The Russian pro-war source said: “We are trying to destroy Ukraine’s stockpiled arms and ammunition from NATO countries.
“It is a major offensive, but we need more because we know Ukraine now has superior military firepower to us in many areas.”
Khmelnytskyi Mayor Oleksandr Simchyshyn said on Friday: “Today, the enemy once again attacked Khmelnytskyi with strike drones, hitting one of the region’s important infrastructure facilities located outside settlements.
‘However, till now, we have 21 injured. Two of them were hospitalised, others received medical aid and were shifted for outpatient treatment.
Yuri Ihnat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said: “Unfortunately, not all drones were destroyed that night: 17 out of 21 UAVs. There are four hits in the Khmelnytskyi area.’
Twenty-one victims were reported, two required hospital treatment and the others required outpatient care.
But the explosions caused damage to educational and medical institutions, administrative buildings, industrial facilities, high-rise buildings and private residences.
A resident told vsim.ua: ‘It was very strong. I have an 8 month old baby, he even jumped in the crib.
‘After the first blast we all woke up and went down to the basement. The sound of three to four explosions was also heard from there.
They were so strong that the plaster in the basement was dislodged. The boy trembled, was afraid and cried at every sound.
‘In our house, the front metal door was bent almost in half. The window glass was completely shattered.
‘The townspeople were in great trouble. Some had their roofs, balconies and front doors completely blown off.
