In the ongoing 22-month Russia-Ukraine war, Russia launched a massive airstrike, 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets on Thursday, resulting in at least 13 civilian casualties.
Ukraine's military chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, reported that overnight, the Ukrainian air force successfully intercepted 87 missiles and 27 drones of the Shahed type.
Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel: “The most massive aerial attack” since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The Ukrainian air force noted that the most significant previous assault occurred in November 2022, with Russia launching 96 missiles. Earlier in the year, on March 9, the largest attack involved 81 missiles, according to air force records.
Ukrainian officials are urgently requesting increased air defence capabilities from Western allies, aiming to fortify protection against aerial attacks similar to the recent on Friday. Amidst increasing signs of fatigue from war, efforts to maintain global support are facing challenges. Recent warnings from Western officials and analysts suggest that Russia may have curtailed its cruise missile strikes in recent months, possibly to build up stockpiles for a massive winter strike.
Ukrainian officials reported injuries to 88 individuals and an undisclosed number trapped under rbe debris in the approximately 18-hour assault. Buildings affected across Ukraine include a maternity hospital, apartment blocks, and schools.
(Representative Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that a broad range of weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, were employed by the Kremlin's forces. Zelenskyy stated on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, "Today, Russia utilized almost every weapon in its arsenal."
According to Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat, Russia "seemingly deployed all available weapons," excluding submarine-launched Kalibr missiles, in the attack. In the eastern city of Dnipro, officials reported five deaths and 20 injuries, with four maternity hospital patients rescued from a fire.
Authorities reported that the aerial assault, initiated on Thursday and persisting through the night, targeted six cities, spanning from the capital, Kyiv, to various areas across east, west, and north Ukraine. Cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, and Kharkiv experienced reported damage.
Winter weather has largely slowed down the fighting along the front line after Ukraine's summer counteroffensive failed to achieve a substantial breakthrough across the approximately 1,000-kilometer line of contact.
Kyiv experienced several dozen missiles launched overnight, with over 30 intercepted, according to Serhii Poplo, head of the Kyiv military administration. The attack ignited a fire in a warehouse in the capital's Podil district, leading to the rescue of five people from the debris.
In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported at least three waves of aerial attacks, involving S-300 and Kh-21 missile launches. Officials confirmed one fatality and at least nine injuries in the city.
©️ Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media.
