Russian missiles rain down on Ukraine

GBNEWS24DESK//

Russia fired more than 70 missiles during yesterday’s morning rush hour in one of its biggest attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war, forcing Kyiv to introduce emergency power cuts nationwide, Ukrainian officials said.

Two people were killed when an apartment block was hit in central Kryvyi Rih and another died in shelling in Kherson in the south, they said. Russian-installed officials in occupied eastern Ukraine said 12 people had died in Ukrainian shelling.

Kyiv warned late on Thursday that Moscow planned a new all-out offensive early next year, around a year after its February 24 invasion, which has destroyed huge areas of Ukraine but brought little of it under Moscow’s control.

Russia has rained missiles on Ukrainian energy infrastructure almost weekly since early October after several battlefield defeats, but yesterday’s attack seemed to have caused more damage than many others and snow and ice is now widespread.

Russia had flown warplanes near Ukraine to try to distract its air defences, Ukraine’s air force said. Its army chief said 60 of 76 Russian missiles had been shot down but Energy Minister German Galushchenko said at least nine power generating facilities had been hit.

“They want to destroy us, and make us slaves. But we will not surrender. We will endure,” said Lidiya Vasilieva, 53, as she headed for shelter at a Kyiv railway station.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Ukraine’s allies to bolster supplies of weapons, reports AFP.

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to provide 18 billion euros in financing to Ukraine next year and hit Moscow with a ninth package of sanctions, including barring investment in its mining industry.

The US military said it would expand training in Germany of Ukrainian military personnel and the US Senate passed a bill providing Ukraine with at least $800 million in additional security assistance in 2023.