Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the head of a state-owned defense conglomerate to increase production of attack drones as the drone war flares up between warring countries.
Television footage from Monday night’s meeting showed Putin ordering the head of Rostec, which produces about 90 percent of the equipment used in Ukraine, to increase the number of weapons produced.
Putin said Russia needed more Kub and Lancet drones, which have emerged as a thorn in the side of Ukraine’s advancing armed forces.
“It is necessary to increase the percentage of production of the latest types of weapons. T-90 ‘Proryv’ tanks and aircraft systems,” the Russian president said.
07:55 BST
The death toll in the attack on Pokrovsk has risen to eight
Two Russian rocket attacks — spaced 40 minutes apart — struck Pokrovsk last night, hitting residential buildings, a hotel, shops and administrative buildings.
The death toll this morning had risen to at least eight with more than 60 injured. Rescuers comb through the rubble. Their work had to be stopped last night “because of the great threat of repeated shelling,” said Igor Klymenko, the Ukrainian interior minister.
Pokrovsk is just 50 kilometers from the eastern front line, where Moscow says it is gaining ground.
A senior emergency official from the Donetsk region was among those killed, Klymenko added.
Nick Allen has more on the hotel that was attacked here.
07:42 BST
Good morning
Welcome to today’s Ukraine live blog. Abbie Cheeseman here, guiding you through all the developments of the day.
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