(CNN) Has Russia’s lethal onslaught in Ukraine entered a new phase of war? Russia’s former foreign minister is sending a grave warning about Putin’s intentions and tactics.
Explosions and air raid sirens cut through silence in Ukrainian cities this week as Russian forces unleashed a new brutal barrage of attacks.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s UN ambassador, said, “My immediate family was in a residential building under attack, unable to go to a bomb shelter because there was no electricity. Because Russia has already killed some of my family members and we see no end to that cruelty.”
Ukrainian officials said they’re destroying about half of the missiles and drones being fired into their territory.
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “It’s almost every hour. 28 launches today of the Russian missiles and it’s only this morning and 84 missiles yesterday.”
Russia has now confirmed its targeting Ukraine’s energy facilities.
Ukraine’s foreign minister tweeted in response: “These are war crimes planned well in advance and aimed at creating unbearable conditions for civilians — Russia’s deliberate strategy since months.”
Russia says U.S. weapons assistance is making the war as painful as possible for Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he believes Ukraine has the momentum. “Russia is increasingly resorting to horrific and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure. President Putin is failing in Ukraine.”
Andrei Kozyrev, Russia’s former foreign minister, said Putin’s new tactics are desperate and dangerous. He explained, “He turns to what he is doing. intimidation. That is threatening nuclear weapons which he will not use, terror is the only thing left for like for any miserable terrorist in the world.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.