Russia is preparing a massive new missile attack on targets in Ukraine, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern military command said on Thursday.
The spokesperson pointed to movements by the Russian Black Sea fleet.
Most of the fleet had returned to their bases, and this suggests a new missile strike, Natalya Humenyuk told Ukrainian television.
Since Russian forces launched a campaign of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in October, most of the cruise missiles have been fired from naval vessels on the Black Sea.
The fire was from naval vessels on the Black Sea and Caspian Sea or from strategic bombers.
According to Humenyuk, only 10 Russian ships are still at sea.
“They show their muscle for a time at sea, demonstrate their presence and control over the situation and then sail to the bases, where they usually prepare for manoeuvres for a massive missile attack,’’ he Ukrainian military spokesperson has said.
Russian missile attacks have severely impaired Ukraine’s electrical power supply and other utilities.
Millions of people have been left without electricity, heating and water for extended periods during the long winter nights.
The attacks have repeatedly hit residential blocks.
In Dnipro, 45 people were killed and 80 injured on Jan. 14. (dpa/NAN)