Russia's Massive Overnight Air Assault Struck Over Half of Ukraine: Kyiv

Russia launched a missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight into Monday that struck targets in more than half of the country in what Ukrainian officials are describing as one of the largest air attacks since the war began in February 2022.

According to the Associated Press (AP), Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Moscow targeted energy infrastructure with drone strikes, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles. Shmyhal said that the air attack hit 15 regions across Ukraine, which would account for over half the country.

The attack, consisting of over 100 missiles and a comparable number of drones, began around midnight and continued until daybreak, marking Russia's largest offensive in weeks. Ukraine's air force reported that swarms of Russian drones targeted the eastern, northern, southern and central regions, followed by waves of cruise and ballistic missile strikes.

In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the barrage was the "most massive air attack" in more than two-and-a-half years of war.

"Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the assault.

According to Oleshchuk's Telegram post, Russia launched 127 missiles and 109 attack drones. He said Ukraine shot down 102 of the missiles and 99 of the drones. Newsweek was not able to independently verify the numbers cited by officials.

Shmyhal denounced the attacks while calling on support from Kyiv's allies.

"The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists," Shmyhal said. "In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched. We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay."

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said that widespread explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital city during the attacks.

According to the AP, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the attacks were "long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraine's military-industrial complex."

"All designated targets were hit," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

At least seven people were killed and 47 more were injured during the air attack, according to a social media post from the Ukrainian State Emergency Service.

Water supplies disrupted were also disrupted by the assault, and power outages were reported in many cities, including Kyiv.

DETK, a private energy company in Ukraine, said that "energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians."

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