Russia launches a massive aerial attack against Ukraine with dozens of cruise missiles and drones

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia on Friday launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine, involving dozens of cruise missiles and drones.

The Russian military targeted Ukrainian power grid, energy minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on his Facebook page. “The enemy continues its terror,” he said.

Halushchenko said energy workers do everything necessary to “minimize negative consequences for the energy system,” promising to release more details on damages once the security situation allows it.

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Ukraine’s air force reported multiple strike drones launched at Ukraine overnight followed by swarms of cruise missiles in country’s air space. It said Russia also used air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles against Ukraine’s western regions.

Friday’s attack is the latest in a series of such raids that heightened fears that the Kremlin aims to cripple the country’s power generation capacity as the winter sets in.

Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Russia has relentlessly pummeled Ukraine’s electricity system, resulting in repeated shutdown of critical heating and drinking water supplies during the bitter winter months in an apparent attempt to break Ukrainian spirits and resolve. Moscow has declared that the attacks were aimed to hobble Ukraine’s defense industry producing missiles, drones, armored vehicles and artillery among other weapons.

The previous such massive attack on Nov. 28 involved about 200 missiles and drones and left more than a million households without power until emergency teams restored supplies.