russia-ukraine conflict

Seven people, including three children, were killed on Saturday by a Russian drone attack that set fire to a gas station in the city of Jarkovin the northeast of Ukraine, and caused a “river of fire” and the destruction of fifteen homes.

Iranian drones

According to local authorities, the attack occurred with Iranian-made Shahed drones. The fire generated after the impact spread quickly and forced about fifty people to evacuate.

According to the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Sinegubov, Seven people died in the attack, including three children: a seven-year-old, a four-year-old, and a baby about six months old. Four people, including a child, were rescued from the fire and fifteen homes were destroyed.

“There was a family in one of the houses. Five people. Two parents and three of their children. They all died, burned alive. In another building there was a man who couldn’t walk. His wife took care of him. “They also died, burned alive,” said Sergui Bolvinov, a Kharkiv police official.

Oleksandre Lagutin managed to escape the fire. “There was a roar, everything started burning, and in five minutes we had a river of fire,” account. “My mother-in-law called, she said everything was burning […] Then he called again and started yelling that the flames were spreading through the house. “We heard the last screams and that’s it, she didn’t show any signs of life again,” Natalia, a relative of the deceased couple, told AFP.

According to the police official, There were about 3,800 tons of fuel stored at the gas station.

“Molten infernal mass”

“The entire street was transformed into a molten infernal mass. The fuel mixed with the snow and when it began to burn, the houses located along the road began to burn,” Bolvinov explained.

“Our anger is absolute. These people will pay for everything,” the head of the presidential administration was outraged in a message on Telegram. Andrii Yermak.

Kharkiv and the town of Veliki Burluk, further east, have been frequent targets of attacks since the Russian offensive in Ukraine began in late February 2022. The governor of the Kharkiv region previously stated that civilian areas were hit in the two locations, including a cafe in Veliki Burluk.

On other fronts

In other areas of Ukraine, two people were killed and two others injured in a Russian bombing in the town of Veletinskein the southern Jershon region, the regional administration said.

The large port of Odessa, on the Black Sea, was also the target of Russian drone attacks, which left four injured, according to Governor Oleg Kiper. And in Izmail, on the banks of the Danube, the attacks destroyed industrial facilities, he added.

In total, 23 of the 31 explosive drones launched by Russia in the Kharkiv and Odessa regions were shot down in mid-flight, the air force said.

More weapons for Ukraine

NATO Secretary GeneralJens Stoltenbergasked European powers on Saturday to increase their weapons production to increase the deliveries that kyiv needs.

Less than a week before the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, on February 15 and 16, he insisted on the need to “rebuild and develop the European defense industrial base more quickly.” Ukraine reiterated several times that it needed more air defense systems to deal with bombing by the Russian army.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, He indicated on Saturday that he spoke with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macronabout the situation on the front and the “needs of Ukraine.”

“We discussed the situation on the battlefield and Ukraine’s defense needs, including drones, artillery and ammunition, electronic warfare and air defense systems,” Zelensky wrote. on social network X.

Changes in the military leadership

Zelensky continues with the changes in the military leadership after the dismissal of the head of the Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, when announcing the appointment of a new head of the General Staff.

In his nightly speech to the population, Zelensky named Major General Anatolí Bargilievich, head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces replacing lieutenant general Sergui Shaptala.

The appointment of this important position – along with that of his deputies – occurred at the suggestion of the new commander in chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Sirski, who replaces Zaluzhni after his dismissal on Thursday. “He is an experienced person and understands the tasks of this war and the objectives of Ukraine,” Zelensky said of Bargilievich.

Bargilievich, 54, has held the position of commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since October 2023.

A US missile shot down the Russian plane

Meanwhile, sources from Joe Biden’s government confirmed to the newspaper The New York Times what An American-made Patriot missile would have shot down the Russian II-76 cargo plane in the Russian region of Belogrod on January 24, as reported by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. last week. According to Russian sources The plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war..

According to the American publication, officials from Joe Biden’s government do not speak publicly about the downing, but privately they admitted that it was caused by a Patriot missile. According to Ukrainian intelligence sources The plane had a shipment of S-300 missiles on board.