MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned on Saturday that Ukrainian plane had struck two industrial websites within the Russian-held metropolis of Luhansk in japanese Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles equipped by Britain.
Reuters couldn’t confirm the battlefield reviews.
Britain on Thursday turned the primary nation to say it had began supplying Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles, which can enable it to hit Russian troops and provide dumps far behind the entrance traces because it prepares a significant counteroffensive.
British Defence Minister Ben Wallace mentioned the missiles could possibly be used inside Ukrainian territory, implying that he had acquired assurances from Kyiv that they’d not be used to assault targets inside Russia’s internationally accepted borders.
The Russian ministry mentioned the missiles had hit a plant producing polymers and a meat-processing manufacturing unit in Luhansk on Friday.
“Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles equipped to the Kyiv regime by Britain had been used for the strike, opposite to London’s statements that these weapons wouldn’t be used towards civilian targets,” the ministry mentioned.
It additionally mentioned Russia had downed two Ukrainian warplanes – an Su-24 and a MiG-29 – that had launched the missiles.
In its newest bulletin, the ministry additionally mentioned Russian forces had gained management over one other block within the japanese metropolis of Bakhmut, which Moscow has been making an attempt to seize for greater than 10 months in an attritional artillery battle.
“The items of the Airborne Forces supplied help to the assault items and pinned down the enemy on the flanks,” it mentioned.
The ministry usually makes use of the time period “assault items” to indicate the Wagner non-public militia, which has been spearheading the assault on Bakhmut at nice value in casualties.
(Reporting by Reuters; Modifying by Kevin Liffey)