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We are now into day seven of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As jarring as the footage from February 24 was, the first day of the invasion, yesterday surpassed anything we have seen thus far.
A Russian missile hit a private maternity clinic near the capital city of Kyiv, a Holocaust memorial site was wrecked, and Russian forces also hit a Kyiv TV tower.
Hours earlier, Russia had warned of “high-precision” strikes, reports CNN:
The rocket attack took out broadcasting hardware, raising fears that Russia is attempting to knock out the city’s communications infrastructure, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said.
The attack, along with a beef-up of assaults on other key cities, brings the Russian invasion right into the heart of the nation.
Here’s footage of the TV tower being struck. That second blast around the 27-second mark is the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site being hit:
The memorial site marks an area where Nazis killed nearly 34 000 Jews over a 36-hour period in September 1941.
In total, Nazis killed between 70 000 and 100 000 people at Babyn Yar between 1941 and 1943.
The Slovenian consulate in Kharkiv was also destroyed in a Russian rocket attack yesterday. Thankfully, no employees were injured in the attack but Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said at least 10 people had died in attacks across the city:
The Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia in Kharkiv was destroyed by a Russian rocket attack today. The Honorary Consul is safe. This horrific act will not remain without consequences. pic.twitter.com/Bt9rjPo2ZE
— Slovenia in Ukraine (@SLOinUKR) March 1, 2022
As night fell, a large explosion outside Kharkiv was confirmed to be an attack on an ammunition dump:
Large explosion in Kharkiv, I can’t definitely confirm what weapon was used, but a couple of people have indicated it was thermobaric. Could have also been a large ammo dump. pic.twitter.com/9OQKlkWjC7
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 1, 2022
The heavy resistance from Ukraine’s forces, as well as ordinary citizens, has left Vladimir Putin frustrated
Some of the visuals from Kharkiv are really jarring:
Not a fireworks show…this is Putin bombing Kharkiv right now…thoughts with the brave Ukrainians there #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/YQPykaIzMJ
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) March 1, 2022
Kharkiv outskirts are getting pummeled tonight. pic.twitter.com/imYWFiAck1
— Aldin 🇧🇦 (@aldin_ww) March 1, 2022
According to Ukrainian security chiefs speaking earlier this morning, Russian paratroopers have now landed in Kharkiv and are engaged in heavy fighting with Ukrainian forces.
In Borodjanka, northwest of Kyiv, a military vehicle was filmed firing artillery toward buildings:
The Guardian reports that four people have been killed after homes in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, were hit by a cruise missile apparently aimed at a nearby airbase:
Hellish scenes from the Ukrainian city Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv after a Russian strike there.
Apparently suspected to be an airstrike or a cruise missile. Emergency services say 10 houses hit. pic.twitter.com/Cx4R43ERPT— Patrick Reevell (@Reevellp) March 1, 2022
In Kherson, a city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine, the mayor has stated that Russian forces have taken control of the railway station and the port:
Message from a Ukrainian city, Mayor of Kherson. “ city is under attack. Help me”. Via @jimsciutto pic.twitter.com/Kt9Dt7izdf
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 1, 2022
Official death tolls are hard to come by. Ukraine said yesterday its forces had killed more than 5 300 Russian troops, but this is denied by Russian officials.
A senior Pentagon official said yesterday before the latest round of rocket attacks, that Russian and Ukrainian military deaths appeared to be the same, at around 1 500 on each side in the first five days.
For comparison, during the 20 years of war in Afghanistan, 2 500 American troops were killed.
At least things haven’t yet turned nuclear, although with Putin’s unpredictable mental state nothing is off the table.
This map may help you make sense of just how widespread the attack are:
