Kyiv: Russia launched its most intense airstrike on Ukraine in nearly three months on Sunday, deploying 120 missiles and 90 drones. The attack left at least seven people dead and caused significant damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure, officials reported.
Ukrainians had been bracing for renewed strikes on the already fragile power grid, fearing extended winter blackouts as the war approaches 1,000 days. The latest assault further strained the energy system, prompting urgent calls for more advanced air defense support from allies.
The missile and drone barrage caused widespread power outages, with officials confirming critical infrastructure damage across regions from Lviv and Rivne in the west to Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. Emergency repairs were underway in Odesa, Rivne, and Volyn, while some regions saw power cuts lifted later in the day, according to national grid operator Ukrenergo.
In Kyiv, the capital, air defenses intercepted drones overnight as loud explosions echoed through the city center. Residents sought shelter in metro stations, wrapped in winter clothing. "The enemy targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russia's defense ministry claimed the strikes aimed at facilities supporting Ukraine's military-industrial complex.
Ukraine's air force reported intercepting 104 of the 120 missiles and downing 42 drones, though some still caused severe damage. Casualties were confirmed in the regions of Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Dnipropetrovsk. NATO member Poland scrambled its air force as a precaution during the attack.
The assault coincides with rising tensions over Western diplomatic approaches, particularly with the looming possibility of Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency and his vague promise to end the war. Ukraine has voiced concerns over Western leaders’ outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent phone call urging a withdrawal of Russian troops.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized such "telephone diplomacy," emphasizing that decisive support from the West is essential. "This attack, one of the largest in the war, underscores that words alone will not deter Moscow. The coming weeks will be pivotal for the war and the future of Europe," Tusk warned. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops continue to defend their positions amid Moscow’s accelerated efforts to gain ground in the Donbas region.