Two people were killed and 13 others were injured in the aftermath of overnight missile and drone strikes against facilities in Ukraine, including infrastructure and energy facilities, Ukrainian officials said today.
The attack in Kiev resulted in several fires and damage to residential infrastructure, including a kindergarten, according to city officials.
“These blows were once again directed at our political and energy infrastructures,” Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko wrote on the social networking platform X.
“Russia is now trying to cause a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine to coincide with winter.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha said Russian missiles and drones also targeted the energy grid, railway lines and residential areas in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Sumy.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement posted on the Telegram app that the nighttime attacks targeted operations of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and energy infrastructure facilities that support its operations.
Russia’s defense ministry also said its forces shot down 121 Ukrainian drones overnight, including seven flying toward Moscow.
Patriot Systems
Thick clouds of smoke rose into the sky over Kiev this morning as firefighters scrambled to put out fires across the city.
By midday, they had contained a fire in a 13,000 square meter warehouse with the help of two helicopters, and had extinguished a fire in another building.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks underscored the importance of Patriot anti-aircraft systems in protecting Ukrainian cities from incessant Russian attacks.
“Since the beginning of this year alone, Russia has launched about 770 ballistic missiles and more than 50 ‘Kinzhal’ missiles against Ukraine,” Zelensky said on Telegram.
Patriot systems have proven effective in destroying Russian ballistic missiles, and Ukraine is now trying to secure a contract to buy 25 Patriot anti-aircraft systems from the US.
Ukraine’s Air Force shot down four of nine missiles and 50 of 62 drones launched during overnight attacks, it reported on Telegram.
The PA reported five direct missile strikes and 12 drone strikes in 11 locations across the country.
