KIIV, Ukraine — Russia launched a massive airstrike against Ukraine on Friday, launching 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, in what he described as one of the heaviest bombings of the country’s energy sector. A full-scale invasion of Russia almost three years ago.
Ukrainian defenses fired 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles intercepted by F-16 warplanes. Given by the Western Allies earlier this year, Zelenskyy said.
Russia is “terrorizing millions of people” with such attacks, he said on his Telegram channel, renewing his call for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“A strong world reaction is needed: a massive strike – a massive reaction. This is the only way to stop the panic,” said Zelenskyy.
But the uncertainty is how the war will develop next year. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office next month, he has vowed to end the war and has questioned whether vital US military aid to Kiev will continue.
The US embassy in Kiev said Friday’s attack also hit transport networks and other key facilities.
Russia has tried again and again Ukraine’s electricity system crippled trying to break the will of civilians left in the dark without water or heating and disrupt Ukrainian defense manufacturing.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said energy workers were doing everything necessary to “minimize negative consequences for the energy system,” and promised to release more details about the damage when the security situation allowed.
The Ukrainian air force reported multiple drone attacks in Ukraine overnight, followed by a series of cruise missiles entering the country’s airspace. Russia also used air-launched Kinzhal ballistic missiles against the western regions of Ukraine.
Moscow has said the airstrikes are aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s defense industry, including the production of missiles, drones, armored vehicles and artillery.
A similar mass attack on November 28 involved around 200 missiles and drones and left more than a million homes without power until emergency crews restored power.
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is stockpiling cruise and ballistic missiles for further attacks.
On November 21, Russia for the first time used a hypersonic intermediate ballistic missile to attack an industrial plant in the city of Dnipro, eastern Ukraine. Putin described the Oreshnik missile attack as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory with longer-range Western weapons.
He indicated that more attacks could be carried out with the new weapon, and U.S. officials warned Oreshnik on Wednesday could be used again in the coming days There were no immediate signs that Friday’s attack was launched.
On Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine had hit an air base in Taganrog, south of Rostov, with US-supplied ATACMS missiles, injuring several soldiers and damaging buildings and vehicles. He vowed to fight back.
About half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed in the nearly three-year war with Russia, and permanent blackouts are widespread.
Kiev’s Western allies have provided Ukraine with air defense systems to help protect critical infrastructure, but Russia has sought to overwhelm its air defenses with combined strikes with multiple missiles and drones.
Russia has held the initiative this year, as its military has steadily penetrated eastern Ukrainian defenses in a slow but steady offensive.
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