If you were monitor the news, you\d know Russia has upped its strikes. The latest reports are devastating. On Saturday, two separate strikes caused serious damage across Ukrainian territory.

    At nightfall, a town hundreds of miles from the battle lines witnessed a horrific scene. A missile came down and hit, but it was the city of Poltava. The place was hit hard. Over a dozen lives were lost, including two kids, a school-er reported  at least. Pictures of the aftermath are surreal. Clothes and memo-papers everywhere, on sidewalks and the roads. A lot did not survive. Whomever it was had little chance to get out of the way.

A few more hours later disaster hit the city of Sudzha.  Russia is right across the border for Sudzha. A bomb holed a dormitory building right there. Locais said 4 people died.

    Russia and Ukraine are pointing fingers at each other. Both sides blame the other for these tragic episodes. Russia says its missiles took out a school in Sudzha, and they are not sorry.

Even within this tight-knit community, it is safe to say it was a very difficult day battle lines are vague especially in these areas.

    Out of this deadly episode let\s make a clarification. Now, Ukraine is into year four of this senseless war. On its doorstep, nations are starting to pay attention to it.

This is the highest death toll in a single day. Poltava is about 150 miles from its neighbors, Belarus and Russia. Russia's fingerprints are all over this. The only good news is that it is not on the front lines. The attack was far from your current day battle lines. The devastation is higher if is on the front lines.

    Since this war started, nearly half a million people are dead, wounded or have fled their homes. Non-combatants watching from afar are also in its path.

Most wars start with alotta drama leading to people accepting that it was going to happen. Ukrainian conflict did not start this way. Who caused it is debatable. It started with invasions and condemnations. The peace talks ended up in cagey escalations. For a year, the international community has played a second fiddle to this conflict. The sides are entrenched.

More military vehicles deployed, larger area of control for Ukraine.  People are wondering what the other country will do next. Only time will tell. This is a war of attrition. There is a lot of casualties on both sides, but there is plenty of room for more. Conflict is a lot like a game of chess. This game has lots of players. The world is watching.

DEFENSE MINISTRY

Ukraine's Ongoing Conflict War Toll Climbs

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