Intense Russian attacks on Sunday resulted in the deaths of five people across the southern Zaporizhzhia region and Lviv in the west, causing significant damage to energy infrastructure and disrupting power supply for tens of thousands.
With the onset of colder weather, Russia has intensified its assaults on Ukraine’s energy systems.
“Late Sunday night, Russia unleashed yet another wave of missiles and drones aimed at the Ukrainian populace, with strikes occurring in regions including Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernigiv, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Odesa,” stated Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Lviv has consistently been a primary target for the Russian military since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“In Lviv, four individuals lost their lives and four others sustained injuries. In Zaporizhzhia, one person was killed and ten injured as a result of Russian drone and aerial bomb attacks on residential areas. Numerous residential buildings and essential infrastructure were damaged across all impacted regions.”
Ivan Fedorov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region, reported earlier that a 16-year-old girl was among those receiving necessary medical assistance following the assault.
The city experienced widespread power outages following the damage to energy facilities, according to the service provider.
President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the overnight offensive involved the launch of over 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones aimed at Ukraine.
“The Russians have once again targeted our critical infrastructure—everything that is essential for our people’s daily lives. We urgently need increased protection and the swift implementation of all defense agreements, particularly regarding air defense, to mitigate the threat of such aerial assaults,” he expressed on Sunday.
As of 4:09 a.m. (01:09 GMT), a nationwide air alert was in effect throughout Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Poland’s military announced on X that they had mobilized aircraft and placed ground defenses on high alert to safeguard the country’s airspace, especially near the Ukrainian border.
The mayor of Lviv, which is located close to Poland, informed that public transport services were halted due to a “massive enemy attack.”
Additionally, the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk stated that public transport in the city would “begin operation later than usual” on Sunday.
Ukraine’s Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reported that the overnight attack left “more than 73,000 consumers without electricity” in Zaporizhzhia, while the mayor of Lviv noted that parts of the city were also experiencing power outages.
Earlier in the week, Moscow conducted its largest strike against Ukraine’s gas infrastructure, and strikes on Saturday led to power outages affecting approximately 50,000 households in the northern Chernihiv region.
