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Russia Launches Missile, Drone Attacks 05/08 06:06
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Russian forces unleashed a nighttime barrage of more
than 50 cruise missiles and explosive drones at Ukraine's power grid Wednesday,
targeting a wide area in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a "massive"
attack.
The bombardment blasted targets in seven Ukrainian regions, including the
Kyiv area and parts of the south and west, damaging homes and the country's
rail network, authorities said. Three people, including an 8-year-old girl,
were injured, according to officials.
Russia has repeatedly pounded Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the war
that is stretching into its third year and has claimed thousands of lives. By
taking out the power, the Kremlin's forces aim to rob Ukrainian manufacturing
of its energy supply, especially military plants, and crush public morale.
The mass barrages also drain Ukrainian air defenses of ammunition as Kyiv's
depleted forces await delivery of the latest batch of promised Western military
support. Ukrainian officials have been pleading for more NATO-standard air
defense systems, such as Patriots.
Russia pummeled Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the "blackout winter"
of 2022-23. In March, it launched a new wave of attacks, one of which
completely destroyed the Trypilska power plant near Kyiv, one of the country's
biggest.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has framed the attacks as retaliation for
Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries. On Wednesday, a
Ukrainian attack hit an oil terminal, injuring five workers and starting a
fire, Russia-appointed authorities in the partially occupied Luhansk region
said.
Russian bombardments, though frequent, have become less regular in recent
weeks, and Ukrainian officials suspect Moscow is stockpiling resources ahead of
a major battlefield offensive that could come within weeks.
The 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line has changed little since the early
months of the war, but Russia has recently made small but steady gains in some
areas as Ukraine battles with a lack of manpower and a shortage of weapons.
In a social media post, Zelenskyy noted that Wednesday's attacks occurred on
the day that Ukraine observes the end of European fighting in World War II and
equated Ukraine's current struggle with that conflict.
National electrical grid operator Ukrenergo said facilities were hit in the
Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
Two energy facilities were hit in the Lviv region, which is in the country's
far west and distant from the fighting's front lines, according to regional
Governor Maksym Kozytskyi.
DTEK, Ukraine's biggest private energy supplier, said the attack "seriously
damaged" equipment at three of its thermal power plants.
The attack was the fifth in the last six weeks targeting the company's
facilities, DTEK said. Overall, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale
invasion in February 2022, the company's assets have come under attack nearly
180 times, injuring 51 workers and killing three, it said.
Russia launched 55 missiles and 21 Shahed drones overnight, the Ukrainian
air force said. Air defenses downed 39 of the missiles and 20 of the drones,
Ukrainian air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.
Russian forces also damaged the railway station building and train tracks in
Kherson, national railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said.
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