As the 21st day of the Russian military operation in Ukraine begins on Wednesday, images coming from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, show thick smoke rising from various areas in the heart of the city. A journalist in Ukraine reported to "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" that Kyiv was subjected to missile attacks in the early morning hours, noting that the roads in Kyiv have become reminiscent of a military barracks.
For its part, the Ukrainian General Staff stated that Kyiv's forces shot down 3 fighter jets and 3 Russian drones over the course of 24 hours and targeted gatherings of Russian forces in some southern areas, confirming that Russian forces have suffered significant losses and retreated in various directions.
In contrast, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the downing of 3 Ukrainian fighter jets and 4 drones, as well as the destruction of 128 Ukrainian military facilities within 24 hours. They confirmed the destruction of more than 1,350 tanks and 111 fighter jets in Ukraine since the war began. A senior official in the U.S. Department of Defense stated that Russian forces are 15 to 20 kilometers from the center of Kyiv towards the northwest. He also confirmed that Russia has launched 950 missiles at Ukraine to date, adding that the Russian convoy near Kyiv remains stuck and is not advancing despite further bombardments on the Ukrainian capital.
The U.S. Defense official further stated that the United States delivered military aid to Ukraine within the past 24 hours. A video published by the International Committee of the Red Cross showed several trucks leaving the city of Debrecen in Hungary and arriving at a border crossing into Ukraine at Siret, Romania, carrying aid into Ukraine.
Vadym Denysenko, an advisor in the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated on Wednesday that about 20,000 civilians have managed to leave the besieged coastal city of Mariupol so far in private vehicles. Meanwhile, the emergency services in the eastern sector of Kharkiv province reported that at least 500 residents of Kharkiv city have been killed since the start of the Russian military operation on February 24. The Ukrainian authorities also confirmed the death of 103 children since the beginning of the Russian military operations.
Simultaneously, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released a video claiming it showed bombings targeting Russian sites without specifying their location. Conversely, Russia claimed that its forces have fully controlled the southern area of Kherson.
In a new report, the confirmed number of civilian casualties in Ukraine reached 691 killed and 1,143 injured, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office, adding that the actual figures may far exceed these numbers.
