Earlier today, Russia launched a cruise missile attack, striking a Ukrainian military training site near Yavoriv only 15 miles from the border with NATO-member Poland. The strike killed at least 35 people and wounded 134. Ukrainian military officials say that a number of Russian cruise missiles were shot down before they reached their target. The target was selected because of its location and role in expediting military and humanitarian aid, and in training Ukrainian forces:
"The strike followed Russian threats to target foreign weapon shipments that are helping Ukrainian fighters defend their country against Russia’s grinding assault.
More than 30 Russian cruise missiles targeted the sprawling training facility that is less than 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the closest border point with Poland, according to the governor of Ukraine’s western Lviv region. Poland is a transit route for Western military aid to Ukraine, and the United States increased the number of America troops deployed there.
The training center near Yavoriv appears to be the westernmost target struck during Russia’s 18-day invasion. The facility, also known as the International Peacekeeping and Security Center, has long been used to train Ukrainian military personnel, often with instructors from the U.S. and other NATO countries."
Putin's stepped up aggression is a result of his military failures over the past two weeks. As he seeks out civilian targets to terrorize the population -- including attacking humanitarian relief corridors -- he's attacking further into Ukraine with missiles and air strikes, as his ground forces inch closer to population centers.
How the U.S. and its allies will respond to Putin's attacks on Ukraine's supply lines will be seen in the hours and days ahead.
(photo: Medical personnel evacuate wounded from Yavoriv site. Reuters)
