Woman killed in Lviv region, area’s regional head says
A 66-year-old woman was killed in the Lviv region of western Ukraine, according to the regional head, Maksym Kozytskyi. The woman was inside her car when fragments from an enemy rocket struck, causing her death. Kozytskyi also reported that two men were injured in the attack.
In addition, “critical infrastructure” was damaged, leaving 6,000 people temporarily without heating, he said in a Telegram post.
Earlier reports indicated that two people were killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and another two in Mykolaiv.
Another terrifying night, Ukrainian MP tells us
Ukrainian MP and leader of the opposition party Golos, Kira Rudik, spoke to BBC 5 Live Breakfast, describing last night’s attack as “dreadful” and “terrifying.” She explained that there is currently no electricity where she is and expressed uncertainty about when power will be restored.
“Russia’s attacks are relentless,” she said. “We spend most nights in bomb shelters when the air raid sirens go off. Every night, we emerge from our homes to find more devastation—another home hit, another hospital destroyed, another energy infrastructure targeted.”
Rudik also called for more international support, stating, “You can’t win a war with only 10% of the military aid that was promised.”
“The world is watching and expressing concern, saying ‘this is upsetting,’ yet we still don’t have enough air defense systems to protect us, and we still lack the weapons needed to put a stop to this.”
— Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik
Poland scrambled jets as defence system hit ‘highest state of readiness’
Poland has announced that it scrambled its air force in response to a “massive” Russian attack on Ukraine.
In a social media post, the operational command of Poland’s armed forces stated that both Polish and allied aircraft were deployed to operate in Polish airspace. The country “activated all available forces and resources,” with “on-duty fighter pairs scrambled” and ground-based air defenses, along with radar reconnaissance systems, placed on the “highest state of readiness.”
The Russian assault on Ukraine included cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, with some of the strikes targeting areas in western Ukraine.
In pictures: Kyiv residents seek shelter underground
New images show residents in Kyiv taking shelter in the capital’s underground train stations as Russia’s airstrikes on Ukraine continued. The platforms, stairways, and waiting areas are crowded with people wrapped in blankets, winter jackets, and beanies, many of them accompanied by their pet dogs and cats.
Emergency blackouts in place across three targeted regions
Kyiv is one of three regions experiencing power outages, according to Ukraine’s largest energy provider, DTEK.
In a Telegram post this morning, DTEK announced “emergency power outages” are impacting Kyiv, as well as the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
The outages come after reports of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Energy Minister German Galushchenko described the strikes as “another massive attack on our energy system,” noting that Russia is targeting electricity generation and transmission facilities across the country.
‘Peace through strength, not appeasement’ – Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister
Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister has condemned Russia’s overnight assault as Vladimir Putin’s “true response” to recent diplomatic engagements with Moscow.
“Russia launched one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles targeting peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, and critical infrastructure,” Andrii Sybiha, who assumed the role in September, wrote on X.
“This is war criminal Putin’s true response to all those who recently called or visited him,” Sybiha added. “We need peace through strength, not appeasement.”
Earlier this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Putin for the first time in nearly two years, despite objections from Kyiv. The call followed reports, denied by Moscow, that Putin had communicated with Donald Trump after the U.S. election. During the call, the president-elect reportedly cautioned against escalating the conflict further.
‘Significant damage’ to thermal energy plants, says Ukrainian power company
Ukraine’s largest private energy provider has reported “significant damage” to its thermal power plants following the latest wave of Russian missile and drone attacks.
In a statement this morning, DTEK said the strikes marked the eighth large-scale assault on its energy facilities this year. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the company’s thermal plants have been targeted over 190 times.
Ukrainian officials fear that such attacks could signal the start of a renewed Russian campaign to cripple the country’s power grid as winter approaches.
The last major strike on energy infrastructure occurred in late August. Ukraine is currently operating at only 33% to 50% of its pre-2022 energy generation capacity, though exact figures remain classified.
Two killed and three injured after attack on railways in central Ukraine
Two railway workers were killed, and three others injured, in Russian air strikes targeting railways and depots in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, according to the national railway carrier.
In a post on X, Ukrainian Railways confirmed the casualties, stating, “Two railway workers lost their lives, and three were injured as a result of shelling on the railway.”
The post added, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families and friends. We deeply appreciate the courage and unwavering dedication of every railway worker.”
Two women killed in Mykolaiv, Ukrainian authorities say
Two women were killed in Russian drone strikes on the city of Mykolaiv, according to Ukraine’s State Emergencies Service.
The attacks also injured six people, including two children, the agency reported.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv region, said the drones struck in “several waves” during the early hours of Sunday.
The strikes caused fires and damaged residential buildings, a high-rise, cars, a shopping center, and other infrastructure, Kim added.
Russia was targeting energy infrastructure, Zelensky says
Russia Drone Attack: Russia launched approximately 120 missiles and 90 drones in a “massive combined strike across all regions of Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.
In a Telegram post, Zelensky stated that the attacks were aimed at Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
He confirmed that some areas are currently without power but assured that efforts are underway to restore electricity.
Zelensky also noted the success of Ukraine’s air defenses, which intercepted and destroyed over 140 incoming targets.
Russia launches largest coordinated assault on Ukraine since early September
Air raid sirens echoed across Ukraine overnight as Russian drones and missiles were launched from multiple locations.
While Ukraine has endured numerous attacks, this was the largest coordinated assault since early September.
The strikes once again targeted the country’s energy infrastructure, including generators and transmission stations, as authorities brace for a challenging winter with falling temperatures and the first snowfall.
In the south, Mykolaiv was among the hardest hit, with at least two people killed and several injured. Further south, the Black Sea port city of Odesa suffered a city-wide power outage.
Poland scrambled fighter jets as missiles approached western Ukraine, a response seen in previous attacks.
In Kyiv, fragments from intercepted missiles and drones landed in several areas, though no injuries were reported.
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