Vladimir Putin’s forces fire Cold War missiles because they’ve run out of rockets – World News

The Defense Ministry said the warheads used by Russia are “highly inaccurate and therefore can cause significant collateral damage and civilian casualties”.

Vladimir Putin was forced to deploy Cold War missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads after Russia ran out of precision rockets.

According to the Defense Ministry, the five-and-a-half-ton missiles, designed to target aircraft carriers, are causing “significant collateral damage and civilian casualties” to Ukrainian forces in the Donbass region.

“When employed in a ground attack role with a conventional warhead, they are highly inaccurate and can, therefore, cause significant collateral damage and civilian casualties,” the Department of Defense said.

This comes as the Russian military focuses its efforts on capturing the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine retains control of the Azot chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk, which makes up half of Donbass, where hundreds of civilians are sheltering amid fierce fighting, the region’s governor said.

Russian shelling sparked a fire in the factory after tons of oil leaked, according to Governor Serhiy Haidai.

Ukraine has around 800 people hiding in bomb shelters under the plant, including around 200 employees and 600 local residents, amid fears Azot could become another Azovstal – a reference to the Mariupol steel plant headquarters that has lasted for weeks.

The Ministry of Defense said there was now “intense street-to-street fighting” and that “both sides are likely to suffer a large number of casualties”, reports the Telegraph.

Ukraine has called for faster deliveries of heavy weapons from the West to turn the tide of the war, saying Russian forces have at least 10 times more artillery pieces.

The news follows a Ukrainian artillery strike that reportedly killed hundreds of troops on June 11.

Footage has emerged showing a large ammunition store on fire after it was allegedly hit – leaving only one survivor.

Private soldiers from the infamous Russian band Wagner reportedly used the sports arena as a base in Kadiivka, eastern Ukraine.

The Wagner Group is considered Putin’s private army and has operated around the world. The Russian president reportedly used the group to give himself plausible denial as they are not explicitly linked to the Kremlin.

The group of 8,000 people have been accused of killing children, raping and torturing women and carrying out executions.

It is reported that up to 300 mercenaries were killed in the attack in what would be one of the highest casualties since the war in Ukraine began in February.