KYIV, Ukraine. Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine, firing over 100 missiles and a similar number of drones across multiple regions. The barrage, which began around midnight and continued until daybreak on Monday, left four people dead, and over a dozen injured, and caused extensive damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian drones targeted the eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of the country, followed by waves of cruise and ballistic missiles. The widespread attack disrupted power and water supplies in many areas, including the capital, Kyiv, where explosions were heard throughout the night. “Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Russia’s onslaught targeted 15 Ukrainian regions, affecting more than half of the country. “The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists,” Shmyhal said, noting that the state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, had to impose emergency power cuts to stabilize the grid. He also urged Ukraine’s allies to provide long-range weapons, stating, “In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched.”
U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as “outrageous,” and assured that the U.S. had “re-prioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first.” Biden also mentioned that the U.S. is “surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine’s energy grid.”
The Russian Defense Ministry defended its actions, claiming that the attacks used “long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.”
The assault led to widespread blackouts and damage across Ukraine. In Sumy, a province bordering Russia, 194 settlements lost power, and 19 others experienced partial blackouts. The private energy company DTEK implemented emergency power cuts, stating, “Energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians.” In response to the power outages, Ukrainian officials reopened “points of invincibility” — shelter-type locations where citizens can charge devices and find refreshments during blackouts.
The attack’s effects extended beyond Ukraine, with Poland and NATO activating air defenses in the eastern part of the country. Meanwhile, Russia reported a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, with four people injured in the central Saratov region, where drones struck residential buildings in the cities of Saratov and Engels.
As fighting intensifies in the Kursk region, where Ukraine recently launched an incursion, concerns have risen over the nearby nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is set to visit the plant on Tuesday amid escalating tensions.
This latest escalation underscores the persistent and devastating impact of the ongoing conflict, with civilian infrastructure and lives continually at risk.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
