Russia suffers new attack in suspected strike by British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles: Aviation school occupied by Putin’s forces is blown up in dawn blast
- Early reports said the aviation school was housing a contingent of Putin’s troops
- Twin explosions rang out at around 8am local time at the makeshift barracks
Russian forces were attacked in the occupied Ukrainian city of Luhansk early today in a suspected strike by British Storm Shadow long-range missiles.
The target was a former aviation school believed to be housing a contingent of Vladimir Putin‘s troops, early reports suggest.
Two explosions sounded at 8am local time at the makeshift barracks, with videos from the aftermath of the strike showing the building on fire and trailing thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
Windows in nearby residential buildings were reported to have been shattered by the intensity of the blast’s shockwave.
There was no immediate information about victims.
The aftermath of an early morning strike on a Russian barracks in the occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine can be seen on the horizon
Britain recently sent a shipment of Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, enabling Kyiv’s forces to strike deeper into Russian-held territory
Pro-Russian military expert Andrey Marochko suspected the strike was carried out using a Storm Shadow missile
Witnesses reported the sound of a plane, then a rumble and explosions.
Rodion Miroshnik, an official for tje Luhansk People’s Republic, suggested the target was the former aviation school, while pro-Russian military expert Andrey Marochko, a retired lieutenant-colonel, said he suspected Storm Shadow missiles had been used.
The Storm Shadow missiles, accurate to beyond 150 miles, allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian-held territory than was previously the case, and will play a key role in the country’s much anticipated counter-offensive against its occupiers.
On Friday, the British-supplied missiles were used to hit the former academy of the internal affairs ministry and the Polipak Machine Building Plant in Luhansk.
Russian MP Viktor Vodolatsky, 65, sustained minor injuries in the strikes.
On Saturday at least two Russian warplanes and two military helicopters were downed in Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, in one of the worst days for Putin’s air force.
Accounts were divided on whether the planes were downed by Ukrainian strikes, or friendly fire by Russian air defences, or even sabotage.
The Storm Shadow missiles, accurate to beyond 150 miles, allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian-held territory than was previously the case. Pictured: A Eurofighter jet carrying two Storm Shadow missiles
On Friday, the British-supplied missiles were used to hit the Polipak Machine Building Plant in Luhansk
Pro-Putin Russian MP Viktor Vodolatsky, 65, sustained minor injuries in the strikes.
A pair of Russian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down over Russia’s Bryansk region on Saturday, close to the Ukrainian border
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky jetted into the UK this morning to meet Rishi Sunak ahead of a ‘crucial’ week in the struggle against Russia.
The Ukrainian president has arrived for a surprise visit that will see him hold ‘substantive negotiations’ with the PM at his Chequers country residence.
Zelensky was in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron yesterday following a summit with EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Poland’s PM Mateusz Morawiecki and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Aachen over the weekend.
Sunak is set to push for more support for Kyiv when he attends the G7 gathering in Japan and Council of Europe in Reykjavik later this week.
The premier vowed to send a ‘message of solidarity’ as Ukraine tries to kick out Putin’s invading forces, saying it is in ‘all our interests’ that Zelensky succeeds.
The discussions came after the UK became the first country to provide long-range precision missiles to Ukraine.
