Russian military attacks American-owned factory in Ukraine
Russian forces have launched an attack on an American-owned factory in the city of Mukachevo in Ukraine.
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Russia fired several cruise missiles at the business overnight, injuring 19 people in the process, according to local officials.
Three people were left with injuries to the lower extremities and pelvis, one has blunt abdominal trauma, one has trauma and contusion of the brain, and another has shrapnel wounds to the head, eye and ear damage.
The ages of those injured in the attack range from 22 years old to 63 years old.
Myroslav Biletsky, head of Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, said the attack was a 'crazy' record set by the Russian army.
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He said: "The enemy is trying to break us with strikes in the rear. But we will not be afraid - on the contrary, we will become even stronger. Together we will stand and win.
"The Russians delivered this strike as if nothing had changed at all. As if there were no efforts by the world to stop this war."
Mukachevo City Council Secretary Andrii Hlagoła reported on Telegram that 600 people were in the building when it was attacked, but due to evacuation protocols, they were able to avoid a mass casualty event.
The electronics factory apparently has nothing to do with defence or the military, it produces ordinary, everyday items such as coffee machines.
The strike comes amid peace-making efforts between Russia and Ukraine ramping up as Sergey Lavrov, Russia's minister of foreign affairs, indicated that Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Biletsky added: "A reaction to this is needed. There is still no signal from Moscow that they are really going to engage in meaningful negotiations and end this war."
"Pressure is needed. Strong sanctions, strong tariffs."
On Wednesday, the UK Government has hit eight new Russian individuals and organisations with sanctions, targeting crypto networks exploited by the Kremlin.
The sanctions largely target financial organisations based in Kyrgyzstan and “crypto networks exploited by Russia”, the UK Foreign Office said.
The networks allowed Russia to "evade sanctions imposed by the UK and its allies", it added.