Kiev:
With 90 missiles and 100 drones, Russia attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight. Currently, more than a million people are without electricity as the bitter winter hits with Russia's “mass strike.”
This is Russia's eleventh major attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure this year, causing nationwide power outages.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of “arming winter weapons” and stockpiling missiles to launch pre-winter air campaigns in Ukraine. “They were helped by their crazy allies, including from North Korea,” Andrii Yermak, head of Ukraine's presidential office, wrote in a Telegram post.
At least five people were injured, one person in central Vinnytsia, two in Odessa and two in Kiev. Residents sought shelter in metro stations as the air raid siren continued for nine hours. According to authorities, approximately 215,000 households were temporarily without power.
“Electrical engineers are working to ensure backup power supply where possible. They have already started restoration work where the security situation allows,” the Energy Ministry said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said this is in response to attacks on Ukraine with weapons supplied by Britain and the US.
As Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky said, cluster munitions were mainly used against civilians and energy infrastructure. He calls the attack a “very vicious escalation” of the conflict.
“I have a power bank to charge my phone, but I didn't buy a more powerful station because I didn't take it seriously that such attacks would happen and that missiles would reach us. But it did reach us,” says Valeriy Dorotiy. a resident of Lutsk, told CNN.
Roman Turiy, a resident of Ivano-Frankivsk, said: “I expected to be without electricity for three hours, but according to the new schedule it seems that today we will be without electricity for eight hours,” adding that every winter becomes more difficult is used in Ukraine.
Zelensky urged allies to provide assistance regarding air defense systems, saying attacks like these prove the systems save lives.
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said its power stations had been attacked more than 190 times since the start of the conflict, the BBC reported.
Speaking about Russia's weapons capabilities, Putin said: “Let no one forget the Kalibr systems, the Kinzhal and Tsirkon hypersonic missile systems that are in our arsenal and which in terms of characteristics have no analogues in the world.” He added that their production is being increased in full swing and that Ukrainian leaders are “begging their masters for other military equipment.”
Putin stated that Russia reserves the right to attack military targets in countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russia.
