New Round Of Missile Attacks Hit Ukraine; Russia Supporters Call For More
By Jason Hall
October 11, 2022
The Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia was once again hit by a round of Russian missile attacks as Kremlin supporters called for even more.
Missiles struck a school, a medical facility and residential buildings Tuesday (October 11) morning, city council secretary Anatoliy Kurtev announced via the Associated Press.
The State Emergency Service confirmed one person died in the attacks, which included 12 S-300 missles smashing through the public facilities and leaving fire throughout the area.
The missile strikes followed previous attacks on the city over the past few days, with the death toll rising to 19.
Russia launched two missile attacks in Zaporizhzhia, which resulted in one death and at least five others being trapped near Europe's largest nuclear power plant, on Thursday (October 6), prior to another barrage on Saturday.
President Vladimir Putin claimed the strikes were in retaliation for Ukraine targeting the Kerch Bridge, which he referred to as "terrorist" actions, the Associated Press reports.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, a Russian region in the North Caucasus, said he was "100% happy" with Putin's recent course of "special military operation" in Ukraine and called for "more drastic measures" to be taken via the Associated Press.
Senior Russian lawmaker Sergei Mironov had previously called on the Kremlin to disregard Western opinion and carry out more attacks on Ukraine.
“It is time for fighting! Fiercely, even cruelly. Without looking back at whatever censures from the West,” Mironov tweeted Saturday (October 8). “There won’t be any bigger sanctions. They won’t say any worse words. We need to do our thing. We started it — we should go till the end. There is no way back. Time to respond!”
Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions that Putin illegally claimed the annexation of, along with Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson.
The documents finalizing the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which violated international laws, were published on a Russian government website Wednesday (October 5), days after Ukraine announced it had retaken control of Lyman, a city within Donetsk, the Associated Press reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that "certain territories will be reclaimed, and we will keep consulting residents who would be eager to embrace Russia" while addressing reporters during a conference call last Wednesday (October 5).
Putin's initial announcement of annexation last week came after several previous setbacks during Russia's invasion of Ukraine and prior to the neighboring country reclaiming Lyman.
Pro-Russian officials confirmed that Kremlin troops were on the verge of encirclement in Lyman amid Putin's announcement last week, while others believed the battle would've provided an opening for Ukraine to take back the four territories, according to Reuters.
Last month, Putin announced a partial military mobilization of 300,000 reservists and reiterated warnings to Western allies that he was ready to use nuclear weapons in Moscow's ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine, during a rare, prerecorded television announcement, Reuters reported.
Putin claimed that Ukraine -- a country he ordered troops to invade earlier this year -- "wants to destroy our country" during the announcement.
"If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all available means to protect our people - this is not a bluff," Putin said via Reuters.
Russia's defense minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that 300,000 reservists with prior military experience would be called up as part of the partial mobilization.
The decision marked Russia's first mobilization since World War II and the biggest escalation since invaded Ukraine in February.
Ukraine and its Western allies said Putin's call for more troops signified that his invasion of the neighboring country was failing.
"Absolutely predictable appeal, which looks more like an attempt to justify their own failure," Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters. "The war is clearly not going according to Russia's scenario."
Allies vowed to continue their support of Ukraine amid Putin's announcement.
Putin announced his country would conduct military operations in Eastern Ukraine during an NBC News translation of a speech addressing the Russian population in Moscow on February 24.
The announcement appeared to serve as the final action ahead of an attack by Putin and the Russian military, which the U.S. and European allies to the neighboring Ukraine have attempted to prevent from taking place through diplomatic discussions.