At least six individuals have lost their lives following a massive wave of missile and drone attacks launched by Russia against energy infrastructure and residential areas in Ukraine during the night. The strikes targeted multiple locations, with one incident involving an apartment building in Dnipro resulting in two fatalities and 12 injuries. Additionally, three people were killed in Zaporizhzhia.
A total of 25 locations across Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv, were affected by these attacks. As a result, numerous areas experienced power outages and disruptions in heating. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko shared updates on Telegram, stating that significant damage was inflicted on energy facilities in the Poltava, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. Efforts are currently underway to restore electricity supply.
In response to the attacks, the Russian defense ministry reported that its forces successfully intercepted 79 Ukrainian drones overnight. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force indicated that Russia had deployed over 450 explosive bomber drones and 45 missiles. According to reports, nine missiles and 406 drones were shot down.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry confirmed that power cuts occurred in several regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, and Kirovohrad. However, restoration efforts are being carried out to address the issue. Svyrydenko mentioned that critical infrastructure facilities have already been reconnected, and water supply is being maintained through the use of generators.
Moscow has significantly increased its attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Ukraine as winter approaches. Russia claims that its strikes on energy targets are aimed at the Ukrainian military. In response to the recent attacks, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need for “no exceptions” in Western sanctions on Russian energy as a means of exerting pressure on Moscow.
The missile strikes occurred just hours after the United States granted Hungary a one-year exemption from restrictions on purchasing oil and gas from Russia. This decision came in October when the US effectively blacklisted two of Russia’s largest oil companies, threatening sanctions on those who engage in trade with them.
However, during a visit to Washington by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close personal and political ally of Donald Trump, the US president announced the exemption for Budapest. In a message on Telegram, Zelensky highlighted that the overnight attacks demonstrated the necessity of intensifying pressure on Russia. He stated that “for every (one of) Moscow’s strike on energy infrastructure – aimed at harming ordinary people before winter – there must be a sanctions response targeting all Russian energy, with no exceptions.”
Zelensky also expressed hope that relevant decisions would be made by the US, Europe, and the G7 in response to the situation. The ongoing conflict continues to shape the geopolitical landscape, with the fall of certain cities holding significant implications for both Ukraine and Russia.
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