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Ukrainian gas plant hit in latest Russian strike

More strikes have been reported across Ukraine, days after one of Russia’s most intense bom­bardments of the war.

A gas production plant in the east and a missile factory in Dni­pro were among the latest targets, officials say.

Parts of Ukraine have seen their first snowfall of the season, but many people cannot heat their homes as Russia continues to pound their power grid.

Moscow has looked to justify its recent strikes by accusing Kyiv of “unwillingness” to negotiate.Its recent long-range attacks follow a series of setbacks on the battlefield during the months-long war.

One of Ukraine’s largest cities, Dnipro, was among those targeted early on Thursday. Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, said the Pivdenmash factory – which produces missiles – had come under attack.

Another official said 23 people, including a teenager, had been injured after the city was shelled.Elsewhere in the same region, 70 shells were said to have landed around the city of Niko­pol, damaging infrastructures and leaving thousands of homes without power and water.

Meanwhile, state-owned energy firm, Naftogaz, said its gas-producing facilities in the east of the country had been subject­ed to a “massive attack”.

In its own nationwide update, the president’s office said four people died as a result of an overnight strike on residential buildings in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Further strikes on infrastruc­ture – as well as civilian injuries – were logged by officials in the Odesa and Kharkiv regions.

The capital, Kyiv, was just one place where air raid sirens sound­ed. At about 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT), mobile phones started pinging with official warnings of a new missile attack across Ukraine.

Local air defences swung into action and military authorities reported that four cruise missiles and five Iranian-made drones had been shot down.

Ukrainian President, Volo­dymyrZelensky, said Russia did not want peace, but instead was bringing his compatriots “only as much pain and suffering as possible”.

The Kremlin hit back, accus­ing Ukraine, which it invaded in February, of refusing to nego­tiate. It said recent strikes – and the ensuing blackouts – were the consequence. Ukrainians are taking air raid alerts seriously after another wide-ranging assault on Tuesday. —BBC

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