Russia launched more than 1,000 missiles at targets in Ukraine.
A senior US Defense Department official said Russia has launched more than 1,080 missiles at targets in Ukraine since the start of its special operations in the country.
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| Smoke rises from an area attacked in Lviv. Photo: AP |
CNN quoted the official as saying that despite having a numerical advantage in air power, Russia has not yet gained dominance in the skies over Ukraine. Previously,Ministry of Defense of UkraineReports indicate that Russian forces used Kalibr cruise missiles and Iskander tactical missile systems to attack the country.
According to the Associated Press, Russian forces are still shelling Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv and an aircraft repair facility in Lviv, near the border with Poland.
On the evening of March 18, Ukrainian officials said that the besieged port city of Mariupol had lost access to the Sea of Azov and that Russian forces were still attacking the area. It was unclear whether Russian forces had gained control of Mariupol. Mariupol is a vital commercial port on the Sea of Azov, connected to the much larger Black Sea by a narrow strait.
French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday urged Russian President Putin to end the siege of Mariupol, allow humanitarian corridors to operate, and call for an immediate ceasefire.
The French and Russian leaders had a 70-minute phone call, the French President's office said. Earlier that day, President Putin spoke by phone with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and received a proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a top U.S. commander in the Middle East said there was no indication that Russia was withdrawing troops from Syria to reinforce its forces in Ukraine.
U.S. General Frank McKenzie told reporters that he saw little change in Russian military activity in Syria.
