Millions of Ukrainians were without power on Friday after Russia pummelled the country’s energy grid in a strike that Kyiv said involved nearly 300 missiles and attack drones and showed that the Kremlin was not interested in any peace talks.
Air raid sirens wailed, air defence systems went into action and F-16 fighter jets were scrambled but could not prevent several energy facilities being damaged, particularly in western regions far from the front line, on a day when freezing temperatures gripped the whole country.
“According to preliminary reports, 93 missiles were launched, including at least one North Korean missile. A total of 81 missiles were shot down, 11 of which were cruise missiles intercepted by our F-16s. Additionally, the Russians used nearly 200 drones in this attack. This was one of the largest strikes targeting our energy infrastructure,” said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
It was the third massive attack in a month on Ukraine’s electricity grid, which had already lost more than 60 per cent of its generating capacity in waves of air strikes through the year. International agencies warn that Ukraine’s health system and other vital services could plunge into crisis if such attacks continue through winter. Power firms said millions of people faced long blackouts on Friday, some of whom would also have no heating or water.
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“The world can stop this madness, and to do so, it must first stop the madness in Moscow that has been ordering terror for over 20 years. Strength is what is needed,” Mr Zelenskiy said about the rule of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“This is Putin’s ‘peace plan’ – to destroy everything. This is how he wants ‘negotiations’ – by terrorising millions of people. He is neither limited in long-range capabilities nor in acquiring the necessary components to produce missiles. Oil gives Putin enough money to believe in his impunity. A strong reaction is needed from the world: a massive attack must be met with a massive reaction,” he wrote on social media.
Moscow said its forces had hit “critical facilities of Ukraine’s fuel and energy infrastructure that support the military-industrial complex” in retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a Russian military airfield using US-supplied Atacms missiles this week.
The Kremlin picked up on Donald Trump’s criticism to Time magazine of current US president Joe Biden for allowing Ukraine to hit targets in Russia with Atacms, which he said only escalated Europe’s biggest war in 80 years.
“The statement in itself is fully in harmony with our position. That is, our visions of the reasons behind the escalation coincide. And, of course, we like that,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the comments from Mr Trump, who says he will push for peace talks when returns to the White House next month.
