Ukraine's armed forces used U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles to hit objects in Kursk region over the past three days, Russia's Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday.
A total of 13 such missiles were confirmed being fired by the Ukrainian forces. Ten of them were intercepted, but three hit objects, causing damage to a radar station of Russian forces and minor damage to the infrastructure of an airport in Kursk, said the Russian defense ministry.
The ministry also said that no causalities have been caused, and it is monitoring the situation and is preparing retaliatory measures in response to those attacks.
Ukraine's air forces said on Tuesday that Russia launched 188 drones in a nighttime attack across Ukraine from Monday evening to the early hours of Tuesday, marking the highest number deployed in a single attack.
Though the Ukrainian forces shot down about 80 drones, critical infrastructure in Ukraine, including the national power grid, was damaged.
The Ukrainian authorities have been working hard to restore power supply.
Air raid sirens sounded in Kiev in the early hours of Wednesday, Kiev's military administration said. And explosions were reported in the Ukrainian capital, according to the Ukrainian media.
Meanwhile, Kursk regional governor Alexei Smirnov issued a missile alert via social media in the early hours of Wednesday.
Ukraine uses US-made ATACMS to strike Kursk
United Nations (UN) officials on Tuesday called for action to protect humanitarian workers who are facing escalating security challenges, during an open meeting held by the UN Security Council on safeguarding humanitarian workers and UN personnel.
In her briefing, Lisa Doughten, Director of the Financing and Partnerships Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighted that over the years, numerous UN and humanitarian workers have tragically lost colleagues and friends -- people who dedicated their lives to aiding those in times of need.
She stressed that the past two years have been particularly devastating due to the increasing dangers faced by aid workers in conflict zones and humanitarian crises worldwide.
"In 2023, we lost 280 aid workers across 20 countries, according to the Aid Worker Security database. This is a shocking 137-percent increase from 2022," Doughten said.
Doughten urged the Security Council and UN member states to unequivocally condemn attacks on humanitarian workers and cease transferring weapons to violators of international law.
In addition, Gilles Michaud, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, highlighted the escalating security challenges faced by UN and humanitarian workers at the meeting.
He called for action to safeguard those dedicated to aiding the world's most vulnerable populations.
"We need collective action to protect those who dedicate their lives to people in need. Their security is not just a moral obligation. It is essential to the success of the mandates entrusted to us, including by this Council," Michaud said.
UN officials call for action to protect humanitarian workers amid rising security challenges
