At least six people have lost their lives after a massive attack launched by Russia on Ukraine, causing severe damage to electrical and water infrastructure.
According to the BBC, missile and drone attacks hit more than half of the country’s regions, with explosions heard in several cities, including Kyiv, where residents flooded into shelters.
🟦 KYIV💛💙Người dân thủ đô trong cuộc tấn công của quân xâm lược đã hát trên tàu điện ngầm:
— WeSupportFreedom (@Support4Freedom) August 26, 2024
"Làm sao bạn không yêu, Kyiv của tôi"💛💙
🎵🎶🎷🎸🎺#UkraineWar⚡🔥💥
🟧 KYIV💛💙Residents of the capital during the attack of the invaders sang in the… pic.twitter.com/j7mqjFrnbb
Russia confirmed that it targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a long-standing tactic, and stated that all its objectives were achieved. The attacks began on Monday night and continued into the morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia launched over 100 missiles and approximately 100 drones, describing this attack as one of the largest to date. The primary target of the assault was energy infrastructure, but it also appears to have been an attempt by Moscow to undermine Ukrainian morale.
Kyiv! Just look at the number of people hiding in the subway during the russian attack. pic.twitter.com/uYlJEDRGJW
— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) August 26, 2024
According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, about 15 regions of the country were hit by Russian strikes using various weapons, including drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic missiles. Shmyhal reported casualties and severe damage to electricity and water infrastructure.
In several cities, including Kyiv, power outages were reported, and water supply was interrupted in some areas. The energy company DTEK warned of emergency power cuts and announced that its engineers are working to restore electricity.
With Putin's missle launchers and airfields under US protection, this is life for Ukrainians. pic.twitter.com/5FBdqAUmNl
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) August 26, 2024
“The largest air attack of the entire war,” says Ukrainian commander
The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force stated that the Russian attack was the largest aerial bombardment of the entire war, according to Reuters.
The Air Force shot down 102 of the 127 Russian missiles and 99 of the 109 unmanned aerial vehicles, said Mykola Oleshchuk.
🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡ Kyiv hydroelectric power station seriously damaged by explosions
— Z.O.V Military (@WarHunter2222) August 26, 2024
It is noted that the roadway of the hydroelectric power station dam and the station’s machine room were damaged. pic.twitter.com/MdDucWnQjF
Oleshchuk reported that the attack included:
- 109 Shahed drones launched from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Yeisk, Chyornomorsk, and Crimea
- 77 Kh-101 cruise missiles from fighter jets over Volgograd and the Caspian Sea
- 28 Kalibr cruise missiles from surface ships/submarines in the Black Sea
- 10 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided missiles from fighter jets over Belgorod and Mariupol
- Six Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Kursk, Voronezh, and Crimea
- Three Kinzhal ballistic missiles launched from Ryazan and Lipetsk
- Three Kh-22 cruise missiles from Voronezh
Ukraine’s Energy Supply Tested by Russian Strikes
Russia has continued to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since the start of the invasion in February 2022, with renewed intensity in recent months. Ongoing attacks have caused serious problems for the country’s electrical grid, with President Zelensky stating that Russia has destroyed 50% of Ukraine’s power generation capacity.
Russia also claimed that it targeted electricity and natural gas facilities, as well as western arms storage sites, adding that it caused power outages and disruptions in the transportation of weapons and ammunition to the front lines.
At the same time, Zelensky called on Western allies, including Britain, America, and France, to allow Ukraine to use their weapons to strike deeper into Russia. He also noted that much more could be done to protect lives if European air forces collaborated with Ukrainian air defense.
On Monday, Ukraine attempted to attack an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, with no reported casualties or damage. Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it destroyed nine drones in the Saratov region, 900 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
