Russia has launched a massive aerial attack targeting the energy infrastructures of Ukraine with barrage of missiles and drones as the winter looms the country, reports agencies.
The country on Friday launched the attack against Ukraine, firing 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones.
Ukraine describes it as one of the heaviest bombardments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “It is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago.”
Zelenskyy claims of shooting down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year.
Russia is “terrorizing millions of people” with such assaults, he said on his Telegram channel, renewing his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“A strong reaction from the world is needed: a massive strike – a massive reaction. This is the only way to stop terror,” Zelenskyy said.
However, uncertainty looms as the US incoming president Donald Trump vowed to end the war and thrown into doubt whether vital US military support for Kyiv will continue.
In Moscow, the Defense Ministry said the Russian military used long-range precision missiles and drones on “critically important fuel and energy facilities in Ukraine that ensure the functioning of the military industrial complex.”
The US Embassy in Kyiv said Friday’s attack also targeted transport networks and other key facilities.
Ukraine’s biggest private energy company, DTEK, said the attack “seriously damaged” its thermal power plants.
Russia has repeatedly attempted to cripple Ukraine’s electricity system in an effort to break the will of civilians left in the dark with no running water or heating and to disrupt Ukrainian defense manufacturing.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said energy workers were doing everything necessary to “minimize negative consequences for the energy system,” promising to release more details on damages once the security situation allowed it.
Ukraine’s air force reported multiple strike drones launched at Ukraine overnight followed by swarms of cruise missiles in the country’s air space. It said Russia also used air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles against Ukraine’s western regions.
A similar massive attack on Nov. 28 involved about 200 missiles and drones and left more than a million households without power until emergency teams restored supplies.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
