Russian strikes kill seven in Ukraine industrial hub of Pavlohrad

Russian forces launched a broad onslaught on the industrial city of Pavlohrad in southeastern Ukraine on Thursday, killing seven, as well as striking a petrol station in the capital Kyiv and an international agribusiness facility in Dnipro as Moscow intensifies attacks on logistics and economic targets. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha, writing on Telegram, said Russian forces deployed drones, artillery and aerial bombs in hitting five districts of Pavlohrad, known as a rail and logistics hub serving a coal-mining area with a pre-war population of about 120,000. A total of 76 people were injured, including several children. Photos posted online showed shattered shops and burned-out vehicles in the city, which has acted as a critical supply route for the Ukrainian military connecting central Ukraine to eastern front lines.

The attack on the petrol station in Kyiv and on an agribusiness facility run by Bunge in the southeastern city of Dnipro added to Russia’s intensified air campaign in recent weeks. Moscow has launched ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones at warehouses, food suppliers and retail chains. Kyiv has struggled to repel the attacks amid a shortage of air defence systems. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said Russian attacks on businesses and civilian infrastructure were “rapidly growing” and urged the government to “react and act in advance”. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilian sites. The strike on the Ukrnafta petrol station appeared to be the first jet-powered drone attack on such a facility in Kyiv. It followed around 300 attacks on petrol stations in or near Ukraine’s frontline regions in recent months. Four people were injured, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. “There is no military objective in such strikes. This is terror and…