Ukraine is facing widespread power outages after Russia launched a massive overnight aerial assault across the country, killing at least two people, Ukrainian authorities say.
Nine Ukrainian regions came under attack, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, with the latest assault coming as many were asleep.State energy company Centrenergo described the barrage as “the most massive strike on our thermal power plants as the beginning of the full-scale invasion.”
The Russian attacks came as temperatures dropped into the single-figures celsius across Ukraine.
“the enemy is once again launching massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” said energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk.
Emergency power cuts had been introduced in a number of regions, she added, and would be cancelled when the power system stabilizes. Residents of Kyiv face extensive power cuts through the weekend, according to schedules published by energy companies.Of the 45 missiles fired by Russia, some of which were ballistic weapons, the ukrainian air force said only nine had been intercepted. Some 450 drones were also launched.”26 missiles and 52 strike UAVs [drones] have been recorded hitting 25 locations,” it said, with many of the attacks occurring in the central regions of Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk as well as Kyiv.
“It is indeed extremely difficult to counter ballistic and aero-ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said in his daily address later Saturday. “Only a few systems in the world are capable of intercepting such missiles effectively – and to protect our entire territory, we need far more of these systems and far more of the missiles for them.”
The Ukrainian president said Kyiv was working with the US to purchase additional Patriots, an air defense system that has proved capable in intercepting Russian missiles.