Russian Missile Strikes Devastate Donetsk Settlements

A home destroyed by a Russian missile strike in the settlement of Dobropillya on June 14. The settlement, northwest of Donetsk, has been the target of numerous missile and artillery strikes. Despite the fact that the incursion has resulted in thousands of casualties and the destruction of entire Ukrainian towns, Russia denies targeting civilian sites in its military action.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire caused by a Russian missile strike in the settlement of Dobropillya. The Internal Affairs Ministry reported that 11 settlements in the Donetsk region were targeted on June 14, resulting in the destruction or damage of 60 buildings. The ministry said that the strikes were felt in neighboring communities.

A car drives through the shattered settlement of Dobropillya that was struck by a Russian missile strike.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 14 that it had hit over 100 targets in the previous 24 hours, including troop concentrations and military equipment. The claim could not be verified independently.

Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said earlier that Ukraine has received just 10 percent of the weapons it has requested from the West to help fight the Russian invasion. "No matter how hard Ukraine tries, no matter how professional our army is, without the help of Western partners, we will not be able to win this war," Malyar said in a televised briefing, saying the West should speed up the delivery of the arms.

Ukraine’s pleas for more heavy weaponry have taken on greater urgency as Russian artillery pounds targets along a battlefront stretching hundreds of kilometers. Western defense ministers were scheduled to meet on June 15 in Brussels to discuss additional military aid to Ukraine.