Ukraine’s air defenses battled a Russian aerial attack on the capital, Kyiv, for five hours, resulting in damage to infrastructure and injuring civilians. This assault is part of an ongoing wave of Russian missile and drone strikes targeting Ukraine’s power grid and infrastructure, deepening the country’s energy crisis as winter approaches.
Ukrainian officials reported that air defense systems were active over Kyiv as Russia launched a series of missiles and drones overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. The attacks injured at least two people, damaged a kindergarten, a gas pipeline, and around 20 cars in the city, according to the Kyiv Military Administration. Authorities stated that Ukraine’s air defenses managed to intercept 66 drones and four missiles, but some made it through, contributing to the damage.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, ten civilians, including a 14-year-old, were injured in the strikes, with the attack leaving residential buildings riddled with shrapnel and windows blown out. Similarly, in the southern Odesa region, a missile strike resulted in the death of a 62-year-old woman, and more damage to homes and vehicles was reported.
For the past 3 days, russian forces have been shelling Zaporizhzhia with modified guided aerial bombs.
🔷 During this time, 33 people have been injured, and 1 person has been killed.
✍️ Details on Hromadske Radio’s website: https://t.co/GZDQ6AfX4w pic.twitter.com/HrrQ3zg1Xu
— Hromadske Radio in English (@HromRadio_eng) September 25, 2024
Amid these attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened the potential use of nuclear weapons if Russia were to be struck with conventional missiles. Putin suggested that Moscow would regard any assault supported by a nuclear power as a joint attack against Russia. Putin’s remarks follow deliberations in the United States and Britain regarding the possibility of Ukraine using conventional Western missiles against Russian targets.
Ukraine has increased drone strikes on Russian military facilities in recent weeks, reportedly aiming to weaken Moscow’s military capabilities. Russian authorities, meanwhile, claimed that Kyiv has launched drone attacks into regions bordering Ukraine, including the Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk regions. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that seven drones had been destroyed in these areas, although no significant damage was reported.
The sustained Russian strikes have had a devastating effect on Ukraine’s power infrastructure. According to the United Nations, around 70% of Ukraine’s energy generation capacity has been impacted, leading to widespread blackouts. In the western Ivano-Frankivsk region, energy infrastructure was hit, resulting in blackouts across parts of the regional capital, as reported by Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk. The southern Mykolaiv region also experienced attacks on its power grid, though details remain limited at this stage.
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