KYIV, Ukraine: Ukraine said Russia launched “massive” missile and drone attacks on Friday, a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky lobbied for long-range weapons before EU leaders.
Ukraine´s war-time leader travelled to London, Paris and Brussels this week in only his second trip abroad since Moscow invaded just under a year ago. He warned that Ukraine needs artillery, munitions, modern tanks, long-range missiles and fighter jets faster than Russia can prepare what he said would be a dangerous new offensive.
Early Friday, Ukraine´s army said Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles and drones on the country. “The enemy struck cities and critical infrastructure facilities,” the air force said, adding that seven Iranian-made explosive drones were launched from the Sea of Azov and six Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea.
The air force said it had shot down five drones and five Kalibr missiles. Russia also carried out a “massive” attack with “up to 35 anti-aircraft guided missiles” targeting the Kharkiv region in the east and the southern Zaporizhzhia region, it said.
For several months, Russia has been systematically targeting Ukraine´s energy infrastructure, leading to power shortages that left millions in the cold and dark in the middle of winter. Ukraine´s energy operator Ukrenergo, said “several high voltage facilities” were affected in the east, west and south of Ukraine, leading to power outages in some areas.
Russia also targeted “power plants and transmission system facilities,” Ukrenergo said, adding that emergency power cuts have been put into place. In Kharkiv, “critical and infrastructure facilities were targeted” resulting in fires that were “quickly” put out, governor Oleg Sinegubov said.
He said nobody was wounded but some parts of the city were without power. “Energy and industrial infrastructure” suffered damage in Zaporizhzhia, leaving sections of the city without electricity, local official Anatoly Kurtev said.
