Russia has launched a massive attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure using dozens of cruise missiles and drones.
Nearly 200 drones and 93 missiles were launched by Russia overnight and into Friday morning in one of its largest wartime attacks on Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv authorities said.
Explosions were heard in the Black Sea port of Odesa while the Ukrainian air force reported Russia had used air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles against the country’s western regions.
As the attack unfolded, energy officials announced longer, emergency power cuts – but they did not make clear whether that was because of new damage or whether it was a precautionary measure.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said the attack “severely damaged” equipment at a thermal power plant.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Russian ministry of defence said the strikes were in retaliation to Kyiv’s use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles.
It said high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons were used against “critical facilities of Ukraine’s fuel and energy infrastructure that support the military-industrial complex”.
Mr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian air defences managed to shoot down 81 Russian missiles, 11 of which were downed by F-16 fighter jets.
Renewing his plea for international unity against Vladimir Putin, he said: “A strong reaction from the world is needed: a massive strike – a massive reaction. This is the only way to stop terror.”
Around 1.75 million people were without power on Friday morning, the chief executive of power company Yasno said.
Ukraine’s energy minister Herman Halushchenko said action would be taken to “minimise” the impact of the strikes and pledged to release more details on the damage caused once the security situation allows it.
The attack is the latest in a series of such raids that has heightened fears the Kremlin aims to destroy the country’s power generation capacity as the winter sets in.
Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Russia has relentlessly pummelled Ukraine’s electricity system, resulting in repeated shutdowns of critical heating and drinking water supplies.
About half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed.
Writing on social media, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha also reiterated a call for more aid.
He said: “Russia aims to deprive us of energy. Instead, we must deprive it of the means of terror. I reiterate my call for the urgent delivery of 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T air defence systems.”
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Western allies have provided Ukraine with air defence systems to help it protect critical infrastructure, but Russia has sought to overwhelm the air defences with combined strikes involving big numbers of missiles and drones.
On Thursday, Donald Trump criticised Ukraine’s use of US-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory.
“It’s crazy what’s taking place. It’s crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done,” the US President-elect said in an interview with Time magazine.
The Kremlin on Friday said his stance was fully in line with Moscow’s own position.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Mr Trump’s comments were in line with “our vision of the causes of escalation”.
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A similar Russian attack on 28 November involved about 200 missiles and drones and left more than a million households without power until emergency teams restored supplies.
Moscow claims the attacks are aimed at Ukraine’s defence industry, thwarting the production of missiles, drones, armoured vehicles and artillery, among other weapons.
