Russia launched a massive attack on energy infrastructure on Thursday. The Russian president threatens to go further.
Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Thursday, the second this month, depriving more than a million people of electricity in the west, south and center of the country. country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had bombarded Ukraine with 90 missiles and 100 drones in response to Ukrainian strikes by US ATACMS missiles on its territory, adding that its army was targeting targets that could include “decision centers” in kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the use of cluster munitions in these attacks, which he called“contemptible escalation”.
A devastating missile
The master of the Kremlin warned that he did not rule out ordering a strike against the Ukrainian capital with its experimental hypersonic intermediate-range missile Orechnik, a particularly destructive weapon capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, which Moscow used on November 21 at Dnipro and wants to mass produce.
The offensive launched Thursday also reinforces fears of power cuts during the winter months, a “cold war” as temperatures hover around zero in Ukraine.
Kremlin troops advance
Regional authorities turned on generators to provide heat and water to hospitals, schools and other essential facilities.
Many small and medium-sized Ukrainian businesses also rely on these alternative means for their power supply in the event of power outages. This attack is the 11th major attack on Ukraine's energy system since March.
Russia knocked out about half of Ukraine's available generating capacity during the war, damaged the distribution system and forced authorities to impose lengthy power cuts.
“Putin doesn’t want peace”
These latest strikes come at a time when Russia is making major advances on the front lines in eastern Ukraine.
“Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. We must force him into peace”underlined Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, reiterating kyiv's call to obtain more air and long-range defense capabilities from its allies.
