Ukraine reportedly neutralizes Russian warship in Black Sea

By Meiramgul Kussainova

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Ukraine reportedly neutralized a Russian warship in the Black Sea, an official said on Monday.

The Ukrainian armed forces hit a Russian warship near the port city of Odessa, Sergey Bratchuk, the head of the press service of the city's Regional Military Administration, said on Facebook.

Also, the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a statement that Russia kept firing missiles from the border with Belarus as Ukrainian soldiers' "heroic" resistance entered the 12th day.

The statement issued on social media further read that the Russian forces struck Ukrainian settlements with rockets, bombs, and artilleries since midnight and noted that they were using the Belarusian airspace to hold airstrikes against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian army conducts defense operations in all directions to stop Russia's advance, according to the statement, which said they kept inflicting heavy blows on Russian forces.

The General Staff said in another statement that Russia has lost over 11,000 soldiers as well as 46 planes, 68 helicopters, 290 tanks, 999 armored vehicles, 117 artillery systems, 454 vehicles, 60 fuel tanks, and seven unmanned aerial devices since the war started on Feb. 24.

Russia's war on Ukraine has been met with outrage from the international community, with the European Union, UK, and US, among others, imposing a range of economic sanctions on Moscow.

At least 364 civilians have been killed and 759 others injured in Ukraine since Russia launched a war against the Eastern European country on Feb. 24, according to UN figures, with the real toll feared to be higher.

More than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN refugee agency.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas in Ankara.