Russia continues air strikes in Ukraine's cities

Russian forces are continuing to target civilian infrastructure in towns and villages across Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops are avoiding repeated attacks in the eastern strategic town of Bakmut.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said, on October 16th, that Russian forces have targeted more than 30 towns and villages throughout Ukraine.

They said that in the last 24 hours, Russian forces have launched five missiles, staged 23 air strikes and up to 60 missile attacks.

In response, Ukraine's air force carried out 32 attacks, hitting 24 Russian targets, he said.

Russia has lost territory now seven weeks since the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched their counteroffensives in the northeast, east and south of the country.

In his evening speech on October 15th, Zelensky said Ukrainian troops were still holding the eastern strategic town of Bakmut, despite repeated Russian attacks, while the situation in the largest region of Donbas remains very difficult.

The Ukrainian Army has recovered over 600 settlements from Russian forces over the past month, the Ministry for Reintegration of the Permissive Territories said on October 14th, as Moscow continues to conduct air strikes on several cities by killing civilians.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.