At least six people have died after Russia launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure and residential targets in Ukraine overnight.
A strike on an apartment building in the city of Dnipro killed two people and wounded 12, while three died in Zaporizhzhia.
In all, 25 locations across Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv, were hit, leaving many areas without electricity and heating. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram that major energy facilities were damaged in the Poltava, Kharkiv and Kyiv regions, and work was under way to restore power.
In Russia, the defence ministry said its forces had shot down 79 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The Ukrainian air force stated that Russia had launched more than 450 exploding bomber drones and 45 missiles. Nine missiles and 406 drones were reportedly shot down.
Russia argues that its attacks on energy targets are aimed solely at the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, emphasizing that there should be no exceptions in Western sanctions against Russian energy to increase pressure on Moscow. He highlighted the necessity for further sanctions following attacks that endanger civilians, especially with winter approaching.
This relentless assault on energy infrastructure marks Russia's ongoing strategy to undermine Ukraine’s economy and civil morale. Ukraine's ministers are concerned that these attacks could have dire consequences as the nation braces for another harsh winter amid war.
