Russian military forces pounded Ukraine with missiles on Thursday, killing at least 12 Ukrainians throughout the country. The attacks come soon after Germany and the U.S. announced they would send war tanks to help support Ukraine.
Ukraine was able to shoot down 47 of the 55 missiles, but the rockets still killed 11 people throughout 11 regions, wounded 11 people and damaged 35 buildings. Later in the day, a 12th person, who was a civilian, was killed after a missile hit a village council building in Kochubeivka, The New York Times reported.
Herman Galushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister, claims Russia is attempting to “create a systemic failure in Ukraine’s energy system,” per CBS News.
On Wednesday, Germany agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and could eventually send up to 88 additional battle tanks to help the war effort. The U.S. also announced Wednesday it would ship 31 Abrams M1 tanks to Ukraine, per The Associated Press.
Halina Panasian, a 69-year-old Ukraine resident, told AP, “I was in my bedroom when the house was hit. I had to crawl out through the destroyed walls. Such grief: What can I say? How can I have a happy life now? I can’t. I’m so sad. My life is broken.”
France’s foreign minister was in Odesa when the strikes happened and tweeted, “Thanks to a Russian missile, I experienced my 1st diplomatic bilateral meeting in a shelter. Coffee was warm, merci !”