KYIV, Ukraine — Russia targeted Ukraine’s already devastated infrastructure with drones, missiles and cruise missiles on Friday, raining fire down cities across the country. a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky ended two days of pushing in Europe to get more, faster support from Kiev’s allies.
According to the Ukrainian military, on the ground, Russia has increased the speed of its winter offensive, with the support of forces attacked by warplanes across the eastern front. Military analysts have said that Russia has made small tactical gains over the past week – often at a heavy cost – but as of Friday morning, there was no evidence of a major breakthrough despite the deal. fierce fighting.
The Ukrainian Air Force described Friday’s attack as a “major attack” and said it involved 71 cruise missiles and seven Iranian-made drones. Ukraine said in a statement that it had shot down 61 cruise missiles and five drones.
Mr Zelensky, who was on his way back to Ukraine after a stopover in Poland, condemned the attacks. “Their targets are civilians, civilian infrastructure,” he said in a video statement, adding: “This is an act of terrorism that can and must be prevented.”
Since October, Russia has carried out more than a dozen major attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities, as well as many smaller ones, in a campaign to deplete electricity supplies and make civilians unable to live. there is electricity, heat and light in winter.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said the full extent of the damage from Friday’s strikes was not yet clear, but energy infrastructure was affected in six regions of the country.
“Emergency shutdowns are already in place in many areas,” Mr. said in a statement, added that energy workers are racing to restore supply. State electricity company Ukrenergo confirmed damage to some high-voltage infrastructure in the eastern, western and southern regions of Ukraine.
Over the capital Kyiv, Ukrainian warplanes raced across the sky to intercept incoming missiles, and air defense systems rumbled. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 10 rockets were shot down in the city and power lines were damaged. He said engineers are working to restore the lines.
Russia also launched a major strike with nearly three dozen S-300 air defense missiles from Russia’s Belgorod and the occupied city of Tokmak in southern Ukraine, against targets in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian Air Force said that Ukraine’s air defense system could not shoot down anti-aircraft missiles.
In southern Ukraine, Anatolii Kurtiev, secretary of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, said at least 17 rocket attacks were reported in less than an hour. This is the highest rate of missile attack the city has faced since the start of the full-scale invasion nearly a year ago, he said. He said early Friday in a statement that the extent of the damage and the number of casualties remained unknown.
Local authorities said four rockets were also shot down around the southern city of Kryvyi Rih, including three within city limits.
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, at least 10 explosions were reported overnight, Oleh Syniehubov, head of regional government, said in a statement. They appeared to target critical infrastructure, but the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Mr Zelensky this week made a brief European visit – it was only his second trip abroad since the war began – begging in London, Paris and Brussels for more first-class weapons. heavy to fend off the new Russian attack.
