Ukraine awaiting American missile system

The death toll from missile attacks east of Ukraine has risen to 11 on Saturday, as rescue teams have made efforts to extract survivors from the ruins.

Ukraine's Air Force has said the state will soon have weapons with which it will prevent attacks like Friday's. It was expected that after Easter, Ukraine would receive the air system “Patrios”, promised by the United States.

Orthodox Ukraine is prepared for Easter on Sunday. Ukrainian forces have refused to report the exact day of the US missile system's arrival, but have said they will be informed as soon as Russia's first plane crashed.

A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers has completed training in Front Bring, American base in Oklahoma and has returned to Europe to learn more about the use of the enemy's aircraft defense system.

Officials a month ago have said Ukrainians would return to their homeland with the “Patriot” system, which usually includes six rocket launchers, mobile radar, generator and control centre.

Germany and the Netherlands have promised to donate the system “Patrios” to Ukraine. Meanwhile, France and Italy have promised the anti-missile system SAMP/T.

The Ukrainian Army is seeking to strengthen its way down Russian missiles as it prepares for the expected spring counterensive to regain areas occupied by Russia. Even though more than a year of fighting have impoverished arms supplies from both sides, Russian forces have intensified their campaign eight and a half months to invade the town of Bakhmut, the focus of the war's longest battle so far.

Bakhmut and Sloveniansk are about 45 km apart in the Donnetsk province east of Ukraine.

According to the State Emergency Service, rescue teams in Sloveniansk found the bodies of two people under the ruins of a house hit in Friday's missile attacks. They also demanded Saturday for five people who remained in the ruins of the apartment building, as well as residents of the three units that were reported missing, said Vadym Liak, head of the local government.

A new law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that allows military offices to send military invitations electronically instead of handing them in personally is part of Russia's preparedness for lengthy war in Ukraine, the British Defence Ministry has announced in Saturday's update.

According to British Intelligence, a unified “director of individuals qualified for military service” will be digitally linked to other government services, allowing Russian authorities of “to access those who avoid invitations by automatically restricting employment rights and limiting travel abroad”.