Latest Russian attacks in Ukraine kill four people, leave areas without heat or electricity
Russia has attacked cities across Ukraine with missiles and drones overnight in one of its biggest New Year onslaughts yet, killing at least four people and leaving them without heat or electricity, exposing millions to the dangerous winter cold.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Russia had launched nearly 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles and seven cruise missiles during night strikes against eight regions of Ukraine. The main targets have been power generation facilities and substations, according to Zelensky in a post on Telegram.
“Each such attack on life is a reminder that support for Ukraine is unstoppable. Missiles are needed for air defense systems on a daily basis, especially during winter.” Ukrainian air defense units shot down 247 drones and seven missiles, according to the Air Force.
He has also indicated on Telegram that the missiles and drones caused damage in 24 locations. Emergency power cuts have been declared in the capital, kyiv, and also in the regions of Chernihiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk, according to the Ministry of Energy. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, has stated that the attack has caused serious damage to equipment at one of its thermal power plants.
Zelensky, in his late-night video address, said emergency teams, hampered by “extraordinary challenges” and temperatures that dropped to minus 16 degrees Celsius (3 degrees Fahrenheit) in kyiv, have been working around the clock to restore heat and electricity.
