Ukrainian forces have launched air raids on Moscow, hitting targets across the Russian capital, including an oil refinery.
The strikes come after the UN announced the highest number of civilians killed and injured by Russian strikes in Ukraine since April 2022.
Russian strikes killed 10 people across Ukraine earlier this week.
Zelenskyy told reporters: “If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.”
Here’s the latest on the conflict.
Background
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. UN data shows almost 16,000 civilians have been killed since then. Neither side releases data on the number of soldiers killed.
Russia controls at least one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported earlier this week that May was the country’s deadliest month in four years.
The HRMMU reported Russian strikes killed 274 civilians and injured 1,763 last month.
Latest
Ukrainian media reported on Wednesday (local time) that Russian strikes killed 10 people across six regions in one day.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
Russia also struck a UNESCO-listed Kyiv monastery complex.
On Thursday, Ukraine responded with what has been reported as the biggest air raid on Moscow since the Russian invasion. Among the sites Ukraine struck was an oil refinery.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 180 Ukrainian drones were shot down on their approach to the capital.
In a voice message sent to journalists earlier this week, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians “do not want this war and never did... but if Ukraine is going to burn your Moscow will burn too.”
On Thursday, Zelenskyy wrote in a post to X: “This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine.”
Russia
Earlier this week, Russian media reported Ukraine struck a bus carrying a Belarusian youth soccer team travelling in Russia, killing one adult accompanying the group.
At a summit, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to Ukraine’s attacks, saying: “The president announced some time ago, after yet another act by the Kyiv terrorists, that we will now conduct massive group strikes on a regular basis”.
Australia
On Friday, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced Australia would provide an additional $100 million in funding to support Ukraine’s war efforts.
This brings Australia’s total contribution to Ukraine to $1.8 billion since February 2022.
Marles said Australia’s funding “ensures that Ukraine is receiving the support it needs to make a tangible difference in its defence against Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked aggression”.
