Russian Missiles Strike Kyiv for 5 Hours Hitting Ukraine’s Power Grid

Russian airstrikes pummeled Kyiv on Wednesday night, depleting the Ukrainian capital’s power grid.

Air defenses battled the aerial attack’s numerous missiles and drones for five hours.

The prolonged assault left at least two people injured, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Service.

Damage in the city included a kindergarten, a gas pipe, and around 20 vehicles being struck.

In a broader escalation, Russian forces fired three Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles toward Starokostiantyniv, a city in Western Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi region, according to Ukraine’s air force.

Details about the strike’s target remain classified, hinting that the missiles may have been aimed at a sensitive military or energy facility.

Ukraine’s energy infrastructure remains a key target in Russia’s long-range missile and drone strikes, which have been a constant feature of the Kremlin’s war strategy.

Russia’s strategy frequently focuses on hitting civilian infrastructure like energy grids, water systems, and transportation hubs.

The United Nations estimates that these attacks have crippled nearly 70% of Ukraine’s power generation capacity.

Earlier this month, they predicted power cuts and energy destabilization could push a further 500,000 people out of the country, as the need for heating escalates.

As winter nears, the destruction threatens to worsen an already deteriorating quality of life for millions across the country, with blackouts already reported.

Ukraine’s air defense systems are under strain—Russian forces increasingly rely on drones and missiles to batter civilian infrastructure, especially as its conventional ground forces face challenges and losses in the war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington on Thursday to rally further support, including the provision of advanced air defense capabilities, which have proved critical in blunting the impact of Russia’s aerial onslaught.

The White House has pledged a further $8 billion in aid.

This week’s wave of Russian attacks stretched across multiple parts of Ukraine.

In Western Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region, energy infrastructure was hit, triggering blackouts in parts of the capital, said regional governor Svitlana Onyshchuk.

Further south, in the Mykolaiv region, Russian strikes similarly targeted the power grid, though no immediate details were provided on the extent of the damage.

Russian forces unleashed six missiles and 78 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Ukraine’s air force stated.

Despite the sheer volume of the attack, Ukrainian defenses were able to intercept four missiles and destroy 66 drones, minimizing potential damage.

However, the fallout from the attacks continues to inflict casualties and destruction across the country.

In the southern Odesa region, a missile strike killed a 62-year-old woman, and local governor Oleh Kiper confirmed damage to homes and cars.

Meanwhile, in the city of Zaporizhzhia, at least 10 people were injured, including a 14-year-old child, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Images shared by Fedorov depicted shattered windows and homes peppered with shrapnel from the strike.

Emergency services evacuated 18 residents and confirmed damage to at least 12 buildings.

Further north in the Sumy region, ordnance experts defused a 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) glide bomb that had failed to detonate near a bridge over the River Psel, averting potential disaster.

With Kyiv and other cities under constant threat, the need for stronger air defenses remains urgent, as Zelenskyy’s talks with international leaders, including President Biden, emphasize.

For Ukraine, preventing more damage to its power grid may be crucial for survival this winter.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press