In a major escalation, Russia launched a massive air assault on Ukraine on Sunday, deploying scores of missiles and drones in one of the war’s largest attacks to date, according to Ukraine's foreign minister. The strikes targeted critical power infrastructure, prompting residents in Kyiv and other cities to take shelter from the early-morning bombardment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as a "massive combined strike on all regions of Ukraine," with Russian forces unleashing approximately 120 missiles and 90 drones. Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine’s air defense systems, including Western-supplied F-16 jets and electronic warfare units, intercepted over 140 projectiles.
The assault heavily damaged Ukraine's energy network, said Energy Minister German Galushchenko, affecting electricity generation and transmission facilities nationwide. Emergency power outages were implemented in several regions, including Kyiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk, according to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company. DTEK’s CEO, Maxim Timchenko, reported "severe damage" to its power stations, marking the eighth such attack on its infrastructure this year.
The strikes caused power outages across various regions, but emergency crews have been mobilized to restore electricity, Zelenskyy said. The affected areas ranged from Rivne in the northwest to Odesa in the south, highlighting the widespread impact of Russia’s coordinated assault.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks, claiming to have hit all "planned targets," which included key infrastructure that “supports Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.” In response to the strikes, NATO-member Poland scrambled jets in response to threats in western Ukraine.
Sunday's barrage is part of a broader Russian offensive targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with Zelenskyy reporting nearly 140 missiles, 900 guided bombs, and over 600 drones launched in the past week alone. Last month, Qatar-mediated talks aimed at halting such strikes nearly reached an agreement before being disrupted by a Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Ukraine remains on high alert as winter approaches. Following previous assaults, including over 2,000 drone strikes in October, authorities warn of extended power outages if the strikes continue. DTEK has estimated that, barring further attacks and with temperatures remaining above -15°C, power cuts could average five hours daily. However, if Russia intensifies its assault, Ukrainians may face blackouts of up to 20 hours per day.
Calling for stronger international support, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the attacks, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of a "war criminal" agenda aimed at Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian areas. Sybiha urged for "peace through strength, not appeasement," underscoring Ukraine’s need for additional air defense support to mitigate future attacks.
No comments:
Post a Comment