Russia fired more than 70 missiles at Ukraine on Friday, in one of its biggest attacks since the war broke out in February. The offensive knocked out power supplies in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, and forced Kiev to implement nationwide emergency blackouts, Ukrainian officials said.
Three people were killed when an apartment block was hit in central Kryvyi Rih, and another was killed after a bombing in Kherson in the south.
Russian-installed officials in occupied eastern Ukraine said 12 people had died in Ukrainian air strikes.
In an evening video address, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia still has enough missiles for several more massive strikes, and again urged Western allies to provide Kiev with more and better air defense systems.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine is strong enough to bounce back. “Whatever Moscow’s rocket worshipers are thinking, it still won’t change the balance of power in this war,” he said.
Kiev warned on Thursday that Moscow was planning a new all-out offensive early next year, about a year after the February 24 invasion in which large areas of Ukraine were destroyed by missiles and artillery but few were taken by Russian forces.
Russia has fired missiles at Ukraine’s power infrastructure almost weekly since early October after several battlefield defeats, but Friday’s attack appeared to inflict more damage than many others, with snow and ice now all over the country. part.
After some repairs, Ukrainian network operator Ukrenergo lifted the state of emergency that forced it to impose blackouts. But the company also warned that it would take longer to repair equipment and restore electricity than in previous bombings.
Russia has sent warplanes close to Ukraine to try to distract its air defenses, the Ukrainian air force said. His army chief said 60 of Russia’s 76 missiles had been shot down, but Energy Minister German Galushchenko said at least nine power-generating installations had been hit.
Moscow says the attacks are aimed at disabling Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukrainians classify them as war crimes.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said late on Friday that only a third of the city’s residents had heat and water, and that 40% had electricity. The subway system – a crucial transportation artery in the city – remains closed, he added.
Zelenskiy urged Ukrainians to be patient and urged regional authorities to be more creative in securing emergency power supplies.
The city of Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, the second largest in the country, was also hard hit, with electricity, heating and water being cut off. Ukraine’s Interfax news agency quoted regional governor Oleh Synehubov later on Friday as saying that 55% of the city’s electricity was back, and 85% in the surrounding region.
Source: CNN Brasil
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