Russian overnight airstrikes involved over 100 missiles, around 100 drones: Zelenskyy

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that the attack hit 15 regions, more than half of the country.

At least seven strikes targeted Kharkiv, sparking fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. (File Photo)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s overnight and early morning barrage as “vile,” revealing that the assault involved over 100 missiles and approximately 100 Shahed drones. The attack caused significant damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, resulting in casualties and widespread disruption.

President Zelenskyy reported that the barrage, which began around midnight and continued into the morning, targeted multiple Ukrainian regions, including Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, and western areas. This latest assault appears to be Russia’s largest attack on Ukraine in weeks. Zelenskyy described the strikes as aimed at critical civilian infrastructure, with substantial damage reported across the country.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that the attack hit 15 regions, more than half of the country. Russian forces used drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, specifically targeting energy infrastructure. Shmyhal noted that Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilize the system.

Shmyhal has called on Ukraine’s allies to provide long-range weapons and permission to strike targets inside Russia to halt the “barbaric shelling” of Ukrainian cities. He emphasized the need to destroy the launch sites of the Russian missiles and urged international support to ensure Russia is held accountable.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attacks utilized “long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones” against critical energy infrastructure. They stated that all designated targets were hit.

In Kyiv, explosions were reported, disrupting power and water supplies. Local officials confirmed at least four deaths: one each in Lutsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, and Zaporizhzhia. Thirteen others were injured across various regions, including Kyiv, Lutsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.

Power outages

The attacks caused blackouts and damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings nationwide, from Sumy in the east to Mykolaiv and Odesa in the south, and Rivne in the west. In Sumy, 194 settlements experienced a full blackout, and 19 faced a partial blackout. Ukraine’s private energy company, DTEK, announced emergency blackouts and is working around the clock to restore power.

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In response to the power outages, regional officials have opened “points of invincibility”—shelters where people can charge devices and receive refreshments. This initiative, first introduced in fall 2022, aims to support citizens during energy blackouts.

Ukraine drone attack

In neighboring Poland, military sources reported that Polish and NATO air defenses were activated due to the ongoing attack. Meanwhile, in Russia, officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack that injured four people in Saratov. Drones hit residential buildings in Saratov and Engels, with one hitting a high-rise and another targeting a military airfield.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting 22 Ukrainian drones over eight regions, including Saratov and Yaroslavl. Additionally, Russian troops have reportedly repelled Ukrainian advances on several settlements in the Kursk region, which has raised concerns about the nearby nuclear energy plant. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is scheduled to lead an inspection visit to the plant on Tuesday.

(With AP inputs)

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