Russian Strikes Kill Three Including Child Near Kyiv as Zelensky Visits Serbia
Russian strikes killed three people, including a child, near Kyiv on 8 August, while a separate Russian drone attack damaged a passenger train traveling from Sumy to Kyiv with no injuries reported, amid Ukraine strikes targeting Russian naval assets in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. [2][1][3]
Russian Missile Strikes Kill Three Near Kyiv
Russian missile strikes killed three people, including a child, in the Kyiv region on Saturday, according to local authorities. [2] In the early hours of Saturday missiles hit east of the capital and witnesses reported hearing powerful explosions just days after strikes across Ukraine killed 21 people. [4] Falling debris damaged apartment buildings and cars, while a fire broke out at a separate building, the head of the regional military administration Timur Tkachenko said. [4] He added that three others had been wounded in the ballistic missile strikes. [4] Emergency crews were also fighting fires at a building and fuel tank in Kyiv, Mayor Vitaly Klitchko wrote on Telegram. [4] Ukraine's state emergency service DSNS shared photos showing garages, a business and a building on fire in Kyiv, adding that the number of victims is being clarified. [4]
Zelensky's Landmark Visit to Serbia
The attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Belgrade on a landmark visit to Serbia, a country with close ties to Moscow. [2] President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the Serbian capital Belgrade for his first visit after raising concerns about Ukraine's capacity to fend off Russian missile attacks due to depleting interceptor stockpiles. [4] Zelensky is trying to build wider support for Ukraine, but Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has refused to apply sanctions to Russia. [4] Serbia is trying to join the EU and has provided aid to Ukraine and promised to help it rebuild after the war. [4] The two leaders were set to discuss economic ties, relations with the EU and security issues in Belgrade. [4] Earlier in the week, Zelensky said delays in receiving anti-ballistic systems from partners leads to horrific casualties and destruction, saying that having a stronger interceptor capability could have saved lives in recent deadly assaults. [4] The president later said the supply of interceptors from allies had been significantly reduced this year. [4] It came after Ukraine hit two oil refineries deep inside Russia along with Moscow-linked vessels in the Black Sea, which Zelensky said was intended to limit oil revenues used by Russia to finance its war in Ukraine. [4] Recent mediation talks have faltered, leading to an escalation of attacks between both sides. [4]
Drone Attack Hits Sumy-Kyiv Passenger Train
A Russian drone attacked the Sumy-Kyiv passenger train in the Sumy district on the morning of 8 August. [1] According to law enforcement officials, the attack occurred at around 08:00. [1] The strike damaged the locomotive and caused a fire inside it. [1] Early reports indicate that nobody was injured. [1]
Prior Injuries in Sumy Oblast
Twenty-one people, including an eight-year-old boy, were injured in Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast on 7 August. [1] The highest number of people injured was recorded in the Bilopillia hromada, where 14 people – nine women and five men – were injured in drone strikes. [5] Two men and an eight-year-old boy were injured in the Sumy hromada. [5] A man and a woman were injured in the Hlukhiv hromada, while two people were injured in the Shostka hromada. [5] In addition, six people have sought medical treatment at hospitals after being injured in Russian attacks on 1 and 6 August. [5] Three people were killed and 41 injured in Russian attacks on Donetsk and Kherson oblasts on 7 August. [5]
Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Naval Assets
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck three Russian naval assets on 7 August. [3] Three targets were listed in the Fleet category among the assets hit. [3] The USF also reported strikes on 12 artillery systems, two tanks and 74 vehicles and pieces of special equipment as well as other assets. [3] Over the course of the day, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces have struck or destroyed 1,716 enemy assets. [3] Robert Magyar Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine's USF, also said that 12 vessels from the remaining shadow fleet have been targeted by the Birds drones of the Unmanned Systems Forces in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov from 1 to 8 August as part of the USF's Operation MoLoChKa. [3] Since the USF's Operation MoLoChKa began from 6 July to 8 August, the Birds have successfully targeted 218 vessels, including 134 in the Sea of Azov and 84 in the Black Sea. [3] In addition, Magyar posted a video showing the strikes. [3] USF's MoLoChKa in action saw three missiles from a Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and gun system targeted a Bird, but a shadow-fleet vessel near Gelendzhik was still hit. [3] Separately, OSINT analyst Dnipro Osint reported that the defence forces had struck tankers near Novorossiysk in the evening and posted a satellite image showing a tanker on fire. [3] The Exilenova+ Telegram channel reported on the evening of 7 August that the USF had struck three vessels, with a ship on fire near Gelendzhik after a strike. [3] The USF struck a base of Russian naval unmanned surface vessels in temporarily occupied Crimea, four tankers in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, five air defence assets and a launch site for Shahed drones at Donetsk airport. [3]
What to watch next: Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces continue to target Russian assets as part of Operation MoLoChKa, with 12 vessels from the shadow fleet already hit between 1 and 8 August.
