Russia pummels Ukraine, killing at least 560 fighters – defence ministry

Russia pummelled Ukraine with missiles, aircraft and artillery overnight, killing at least 560 Ukrainian fighters and destroying dozens of armoured vehicles, rocket systems and other military equipment, the defence ministry said.

Russian aircraft struck 87 different military installations while rockets and artillery rained down on Ukrainian positions, destroying S-300 missile systems, a Tochka U short-range ballistic missile system, BUK-M1 and Osa-AKM missile systems.

“About 500 enemy personnel, 59 armored vehicles, artillery guns and cars were destroyed, as well as more than 60 militants of the nationalist ‘Donbas’ group in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the defence ministry said.

The Russian-backed separatist leader of the Ukrainian breakaway region of Donetsk said that Moscow should launch the next stage of its military campaign in Ukraine after reaching the region’s frontiers, RIA news agency quoted him as saying.

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, made the comment on a Russian talk show broadcast online.