Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war
Russia’s Response to Missile Strikes
The attacks that hit Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure overnight were reportedly retaliation for strikes on Russian territory using US made ATACMS missiles. Russia's President Vladimir Putin claimed 17 military and defense related targets had been hit, while Ukrainian authorities described widespread damage to power infrastructure.
The attacks have plunged more than a million households in Ukraine into a power outage, with the Lviv, Volyn, and Rivne regions suffering from substantial shortages. The attack was the 11th major strike this year on Ukraine's energy systems and fuels rolling blackouts as the country prepares to face its third winter of war.
Impact on Civilians and Infrastructure
The shelling with more than 90 missiles and over 100 drones injured at least five people across the country and also targeted critical infrastructure across the country. Cities like Kyiv faced continuous air raid alerts as residents huddled in metro stations.
A missile struck a civilian enterprise in Kharkiv, and blackouts disrupted daily life, especially in the western regions of Volyn and Ivano Frankivsk. In fact, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted more imperative air defense systems as extremely vital to save lives and means of infrastructure.
Future Escalations and Concerns
Mr. Putin threatened to continue this aggression, including strikes with "Oreshnik," the newest Russia medium range ballistic missile. Among the likely targets are military facilities, defense enterprises, and decision making centers in Kyiv.
The escalating bombardments raised the alarm of an increasingly critical situation in Ukraine as its war wears on, along with increased civilian vulnerability under the continuous destruction of the country's essential infrastructure into the harshest months of winter.
