Russia targets Ukraine’s missiles as Western-supplied weapons bite

(Reuters) – Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered generals to prioritise destroying Ukraine’s long-range missile and artillery weapons after Western-supplied weapons had been used to strike Russian provide traces.

Practically 5 months since President Vladimir Putin ordered the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces are grinding by means of the Donbas area of japanese Ukraine and now occupy round a fifth of the nation.

Shoigu, one in all Putin’s closest allies, inspected the Vostok group which is combating in Ukraine, the defence ministry stated.

Shoigu “instructed the commander to offer precedence to the enemy’s long-range missile and artillery weapons,” the defence ministry stated.

The ministry stated the weapons had been getting used to shell residential areas of Russian-controlled Donbas and to intentionally set fireplace to wheat fields and grain storage silos. Reuters was unable to confirm battlefield experiences from both aspect.

The Zvezda information service confirmed Shoigu, wearing fight uniform, talking alongside Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

The USA and its allies have provided billions of {dollars}’ price of weaponry to Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, together with long-range arms which Kyiv says are starting to assist on the battlefield.

Ukraine says it has carried out a string of profitable strikes on 30 Russian logistics and ammunitions hubs, utilizing a number of a number of launch rocket methods lately provided by the West.

Moscow has emphasised its assaults on Western-supplied weapons in its defence ministry briefings, and accuses Ukraine of utilizing long-range arms to strike residential areas in separatist-controlled areas of the Donbas.

Separatist chief Denis Pushilin stated on Thursday that two folks had been killed when Ukrainian forces shelled a bus station within the separatist-held metropolis of Donetsk in japanese Ukraine.

Ukrainian inside ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko accused Russian forces on social media of placing the centre of Donetsk however pinning the blame on Ukraine.

(Reporting by Reuters; modifying by Man Faulconbridge)