Nine people have been killed in a Russian rocket attack on a block of flats in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk, including a two-year-old boy who died in hospital.
Authorities confirmed the death toll on Saturday morning, after Friday evening’s attack on the neighbourhood, AFP reported.
Slovyansk lies in a part of the Donetsk region that is under Ukrainian control. According to Kyiv, it was struck by seven missiles which hit five buildings, five homes, a school and an administrative building.
Vadim Lyakh, the head of Slovyansk’s military administration, confirmed on Saturday that nine people had died – including a woman whose body was recovered from the rubble overnight – and 21 were wounded.
Five people were still under the rubble and their identities were established, he said.
AFP journalists saw rescue workers digging for survivors on the top floor of the typical Soviet-era housing block, and black smoke billowing from homes on fire across the street.
New Russian call-up law suggests Moscow expects lengthy conflict, warns UK MoD
A new Russian law has removed an obstacle that has allowed some men to dodge the draft and suggests Moscow anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defence says.
Vladimir Putin was reported to have signed a bill on Friday to create a digital draft system, making it easier to mobilise Russians into the army and stirring fresh fears in the country amid the war with Ukraine.
The UK MoD said in its latest intelligence briefing – posted on Twitter – that under the law, authorities would be able to serve call-up papers electronically, rather than by letter, removing one way of avoiding military duties.
The ministry said:
With individuals’ call-up data now digitally linked to other state-provided online services, it is likely that the authorities will punish draft-dodgers by automatically limiting employment rights and restricting foreign travel.
The measures – reported to be coming into force later in the year – did not specifically indicate any major new wave of enforced mobilisation, it said.
Russia is, for now, prioritising a drive to recruit extra volunteer troops. However, the measure is highly likely part of a longer-term approach to provide personnel as Russia anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine.
Finland’s border guard has unveiled the first section of a 125-mile (200km) border fence with Russia, being built after Moscow invaded Ukraine last year.
Finland joined Nato a week ago and its 800-mile border has also doubled as the frontier between the military alliance and Russia.
Agence France-Presse reported that the fence – 3 metres (10ft) tall and topped with barbed wire – would cost about €380m (£340m/$422m) and was due to be completed by 2026.
Officials showed the construction site of the first 1 mile section near the Imatra border crossing point in south-eastern Finland on Friday.