KYIV, Ukraine: Russia launched a substantial drone and missile assault across Ukraine, marking one of the largest attacks in recent weeks. The offensive began around midnight and persisted into the daylight hours, with strikes reportedly aimed at the country’s energy infrastructure.
The barrage involved numerous groups of Russian drones, targeting eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of Ukraine, followed by an array of cruise and ballistic missiles. The intensity of the attack resulted in significant damage and disruption.
Explosions were reported in Kyiv, leading to widespread power and water outages. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, confirmed the disruptions, highlighting the attack’s impact on the city’s essential services. In Lutsk, a multi-story residential building and an unspecified infrastructure target were struck, resulting in at least one fatality, according to mayor Ihor Polishchuk. Another person died in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where multiple fires were ignited by the strikes, as reported by regional head Serhii Lysak. A third casualty was reported in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, which is partially occupied.
In response, Ukraine’s private energy company, DTEK, initiated emergency blackouts across the country, with energy workers working around the clock to restore power. The attack also prompted the activation of Polish and NATO air defenses in eastern Poland as a precautionary measure.
This latest escalation underscores the ongoing conflict’s severity and the significant strain on Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilian population.
