Daily Flyer - September 29-30,2023
A voice of Ukraine to the West
Zaporizhzhia missile strike injures five, damages infrastructure
Five people were injured on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia as the result of a Russian missile attack that also damaged five homes and a unit of infrastructure on Sept. 30, according to the regional military administration.
Suspilne journalists in the city heard two explosions at 10:20 a.m.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Yuriy Malashko said the two strikes were delivered between 10:06 and 10:20 a.m., targeting the Matviivka community.
Authorities have yet to disclose the types of missiles that were used, but the strikes were conducted during a ballistic missiles alert.
Only one of the victims was hospitalized and the rest declined, after receiving medical aid.
Romania investigates another possible airspace violation by Russia
Romania is investigating whether Russia violated its airspace again during its latest attack on Ukraine on the night of Sept. 29-30, Romania's Digi24 news site reported, citing the country's Defense Ministry.
The ministry reported that, as Russia attacked Ukraine's ports on the Danube River, air alert sirens were activated in the nearby Romanian cities of Tulcea and Galati as radar systems detected an unsanctioned object heading towards the latter in Romania's airspace.
Residents said they saw something fall from the sky and heard the sounds of low-flying military jets.
Local authorities are still looking for evidence of an attack.
This isn't the first time Russian attacks on the Danube ports violated Romania's territory. Romania's Foreign Ministry summoned the head of the Russian mission in the country to answer how Russian drone debris ended up in Romanian territory on Sept. 9.
Romania has introduced new security measures to protect the civilian population near the Danube River.
Russian attack damages infrastructure in Vinnytsia Oblast
An attack on Vinnystia Oblast on the night of Sept. 30 damaged an infrastructure facility in the region, Oblast Governor Serhii Borzov reported via Telegram.
The governor announced an aerial alert at around 1:10 a.m. local time. Less than an hour later, he reported the strike.
"Unfortunately, there was a hit to an infrastructure facility in Vinnytsia Oblast.
We are working," Borzov said.
At 2:24 a.m., Borzov announced that the aerial alert had been lifted.
No further casualties or information about the damage's extent has been reported.
Ukraine shot down 30 drones in overnight attack
Ukrainian air defense shot down 30 Shahed drones used to attack the southern regions overnight on Sept. 30, the southern command of the country's armed forces reported.
The military said that most of the drones targeted Vinnytsia Oblast, where 20 of them were destroyed. Some are believed to have gotten through, striking infrastructure and causing a fire in Vinnytsia Oblast's Kalynivka community.
Local authorities prepared to evacuate civilians away from the fire, but this was unnecessary.
According to the armed forces, six Shaheds were shot down in Odesa Oblast and four in Mykolaiv Oblast.
Russia is expected to repeat last year's barrage of Ukraine's infrastructure ahead of the arrival of colder weather.
Romania moves air defense systems to the border with Ukraine
Romania is moving its air defense systems closer to its border with Ukraine, Reuters reported on Sept. 29.
According to Reuters, additional measures include deploying four U.S. F-16 jets and an expanded no-fly zone.
Since early September, the impact of Russian attacks against Ukrainian ports on the Danube River, which forms part of the border between Ukraine and Romania, began to spill over into Romanian territory.
Debris from Russian attack drones have been found in Romania at least three times, Dan Neculăescu, the country's ambassador to NATO, said on Sept. 13.
While Russian drones are not intentionally targeting Romania, the situation is still "unacceptable," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Sept. 21.
Iohannis previously denied that any Russian drones had crossed into Romanian territory but summoned the Russian ambassador to Romania in mid-September after more drone fragments were found.
Despite Russia's claims that it does not intend to attack Romania, Iohannis acknowledged the Romanian residents who live near the Danube River and border with Ukraine "are scared."
Romania has built shelters to protect the civilian population near the Danube River in case of falling debris.