Russia launched a large-scale air raid on Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, injuring at least 20 civilians and plunging the city into darkness in what President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described as a “cynical and calculated” attack.
According to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Friday’s air raid was among the heaviest concentrated strikes on energy Ukraine’s infrastructure.The attack involving 465 drones and 32 missiles targeted critical infrastructure, cutting power on nine regions, with fragments of downed drones striking several parts of the city, Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko said. Ukrainian air forces downed 405 Russian drones and 15 missiles. At least one person was killed in the attack on southeast. The attack also damaged energy infrastructure in the central region of Poltava where around 17,000 consumers were without power, regional officials said. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported major damage in overnight Rusian attack. In a statement, the company revealed that the thermal power plants' equipment has sustained serious damage and that restoration work was underway.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the main target of the strike had been Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of the warming season. “It is precisely the civilian and energy infrastructure that is the main target of Russia’s strikes ahead of the heating season,” Zelenskiy said in a post on X.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian leader called for more support from Ukraine’s Western allies in face of Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. “What’s needed is not window dressing but decisive action - from the United States, Europe and the G7 - in delivering air defence systems and enforcing sanctions.”
Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskiy accused Russia of seeking to “create chaos and apply psychological pressure” among in Ukraine by destroying energy facilities and railways.
