Moscow Claims Attack on Ukrainian Patriot Systems; Kyiv: They Were Decoys

In the ongoing exchange of fire between Russia and Ukraine, a significant ammunition depot within Russian territory was targeted by the Ukrainian army; simultaneously, Russia claimed to have attacked two Ukrainian Patriot systems. However, Kyiv stated that these were not real systems but merely 'decoys.' An unnamed Ukrainian security source said on Sunday, July 17, that Ukrainian drones struck an ammunition depot inside Russia at midnight, and explosions are 'highly likely' to occur in Russian military-industrial areas in the near future. This source told Reuters that the ammunition storage facility, covering an area of 9,000 square meters, is located in the Voronezh region of Russia, bordering part of northeastern Ukraine that has been occupied by Russia since 2022. According to this source, Russia has stored ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missiles, tanks, artillery shells, and other munitions in this depot near the village of Sergiyivka, which is 140 kilometers from the nearest territory controlled by Kyiv. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine has been working on building a fleet of long-range drones to enable it to strike targets deep within Russia. This source stated, 'In the near future, there is a high probability of sudden explosions in military-industrial facilities in Russia that are working to wage war against Ukraine.' In a report from Russia, Moscow announced on Sunday that it had targeted two Ukrainian Patriot air defense systems, but Kyiv claimed that Moscow had targeted decoy systems designed to mislead and destroy expensive enemy missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that this attack occurred in the Yuzhne port area in the Black Sea and also destroyed a radar station. It is reported that Iskander-M ballistic missiles were used. Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said in a Telegram post on Saturday evening that Russia attacked Ukrainian decoy Patriot systems. Reuters has not independently verified the claims of either side. Ukraine had previously placed inexpensive 'decoys' to mislead Russian attacks that resemble the multi-million dollar Western air defense and missile systems that Moscow seeks to destroy in Ukraine. The Patriot systems, which have been highly effective in this war and of which Ukraine has very few, are at the top of Moscow's target list. Oleshchuk added that Russia also targeted 'decoy' aircraft in its missile attack on a Ukrainian military airport on Wednesday. Recent developments in the Ukraine war and the continuation of Russian attacks on the water and electricity infrastructure of this European ally of Putin continue. Putin visited Ukraine to meet with Zelensky; Russian attacks persist. Putin states that there is no need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but he does not rule out this option. Russian drone attacks on energy facilities in northeastern Ukraine have caused power outages. Russian attacks in eastern and northern Ukraine have resulted in water cuts and the deaths of several civilians. Ukraine received its third Patriot air defense system from Germany. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine would double its air defense capacity. NATO meeting in Washington; the world's largest military alliance is preparing to play a 'more important role' in the Pacific. A deadly Russian attack again on Dnipro; the UN reports five dead and 47 injured. Russian attacks on Ukrainian air bases continue to obstruct 'F-16' fighter jets. Zelensky stated that Russia used 800 'kamikaze bombs' against Ukraine in the past week. Casualties from a Russian missile attack on a residential building in Ukraine have increased. The US is sending more air defense missiles to Ukraine.