The war in Ukraine has escalated dramatically in recent hours, with both sides delivering heavy strikes deep behind the front lines.
In the early hours of August 2, air raid sirens sounded again in the capital Kiev and surrounding regions, following the devastating wave of Russian ballistic missiles over the past 24 hours, Free Europe reports. At least nine people were killed in the attack on the capital yesterday.
In response to the escalation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a sharp statement on his official profile on the X social network. He stressed that the Patriot anti-missile systems are available in warehouses on the whole world and only needs a political decision by Western partners to be delivered to Kiev. “Missiles designed to protect against ballistic attacks should protect people, not sit in warehouses“, said the Ukrainian head of state. His sharp comment comes in the context of Washington's hesitant position on licenses for the production of anti-missile interceptors by Ukraine.
Diplomatic scandal: Attacks on the Lithuanian embassy in Kiev
The Russian missile attack has caused serious diplomatic tension in Europe. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry confirmed through an official statement by the Minister Kęstutis Budris on Platform X that two Russian missiles fell in close proximity to the Lithuanian Embassy in Kiev – respectively 10 and 150 meters from the building.
Although no one among the diplomatic staff was injured, the building suffered material damage:
- Diplomatic mission windows broken.
- Solar collectors in the complex were destroyed.
- The yard is littered with shrapnel and debris.
In response to the incident, Vilnius officially announced that it would summoned the diplomatic representative of the Russian Federation to deliver an official protest against the violation of international law and the Vienna Convention.
Victims in Zaporizhia and a retaliatory strike with drones in Saratov
The offensive on the front line also remains bloody. The head of the Zaporizhia Regional Military Administration Ivan Fedorov reported on Telegram that as a result of another Russian artillery shelling and attacks with FPV drones in the Zaporizhia region one civilian was killed and another was injured. Critical and residential infrastructure was hit, with entire municipalities left without power, UNN agency reports.
At the same time, Ukraine is expanding the scope of its retaliatory strikes deep into the Russian rear. On the night of August 2, dozens of Ukrainian suicide drones attacked military and energy facilities in Russia. According to Reuters and local channels, large explosions erupted in the Saratov region, where the “Rosneft“ oil refinery was hit. A large-scale fire has broken out, with reports of injured citizens and material damage in the region, which also includes the strategic military airport “Engels“.