Ukrainian Missile Strike Sinks Warship, Russia Steps Up Attack On Kyiv

Illustration of the ruins of buildings hit by Russian attacks in the vicinity of Kyiv, Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons/Ollexa)

JAKARTA - Russia's Defense Ministry said on Friday it had struck military targets on the outskirts of Kyiv overnight with cruise missiles, promising more strikes against the Ukrainian capital in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets.

The ministry said its forces had also taken full control of the Ilyich Steel Plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol, which had been under siege by Russian forces for weeks.

Powerful explosions heard in Kyiv on Friday appeared to be one of the most significant there since Russian troops withdrew from the area earlier this month in preparation for fighting in the south and east.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that overnight missile strikes in Kyiv had hit the 'Vizar' factory on the edge of the Ukrainian capital which it said manufactures and repairs missiles, including anti-ship missiles.

The explosion was reportedly heard after the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the missile cruiser Moskva 121, the main ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, had sunk while being towed after sustaining severe damage.

Ukraine claims the damage to the Moskva was the result of one of its missile strikes. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense only spoke about the fire that broke out and the ammunition that exploded.

Furthermore, the Russian Ministry of Defense promised more attacks in the capital Kyiv.

"The number and scale of missile strikes against targets in Kyiv will increase in response to any terrorist attacks or acts of sabotage on Russian territory, carried out by the Kyiv nationalist regime," the ministry said in a statement.

At the same time, the ministry said Russian forces had shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter, which it said had struck the village of Klimovo in the Bryansk region on April 14, as well as shot down a Ukrainian Sukhoi-27 jet.

In addition, the ministry also claimed a group of up to 30 Polish mercenaries had also been destroyed.

Russia launched what it called a 'special military operation' on February 24. Ukraine has put up fierce resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia.