The Ukrainian military has released its daily operational report as of 6 am local time, claiming its forces destroyed 14 Russian air targets on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
According to reports detailing the destroyed targets, they include seven (7) aircrafts; one (1) helicopter; three (3) UAV drones and three (3) wing missiles.
“In certain temporarily occupied territories, Russian occupiers are trying to create a demonstrative positive image of themselves by distributing food items to civilian population,” the Ukrainian Defence Ministry added.
Officials also maintained that low moral within Russian troops led to an “increase in the number of cases of desertification and refusal of military personnel” to participate in the war against Ukraine.
Earlier reports also claimed Russia was taking up measures to “make up for the loss of personnel at the expense of foreigners” while preparing for a possible attack on Kyiv.
Meanwhile, more photos of civilians fleeing Ukraine provide a powerful snapshot of the refugee crisis in the Eastern European nation.
According to UN estimates, more than three (3) million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on 24 February.
While tens of thousands of people continue to flee the country each day, a small but growing number are heading in the other direction. At first they were foreign volunteers, Ukrainian expatriate men heading to fight and people delivering aid. But increasingly, women are also heading back.
In a related development, reports confirmed that a rescue worker died from explosive injuries in Kharkiv blast.
Officials said emergency services are currently working to contain a blaze in one of the largest shopping centres in Kharkiv.
According to officials of the Ukraine’s state emergency services, they received a call reporting commercial pavilions had caught fire with two residential buildings partially damaged on Thursday.
As a result of the shelling, two rescuers suffered explosive injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment, the agency said in an update this morning.
However, one of the rescuers was reportedly unable to be saved and died from their injuries. – The Guardian reports
