Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, came under one of the biggest attacks on Friday, December 16, 2022 as Russia’s invading forces fired rounds of missiles across the country.
The strikes which were reported in at least four cities, triggered widespread emergency power outages.
The barrage targeted critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporhizhzhia.
The head of the country’s armed forces said Ukrainian forces intercepted 60 of the 76 missiles launched.
Russian strikes on electricity and water systems have occurred intermittently since mid-October, increasing the anguish of the population as winter approaches.
Nonetheless, the Ukrainian military has reported increasing success in shooting down incoming rockets and explosive drones.
Friday’s attack took place after the United States agreed to give a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine to further boost the country’s defense.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned on Thursday, December 15, 2022 that the sophisticated system and any crews accompanying it would be a legitimate target for the Russian military.
More than half of the Russian missiles fired on Friday targeted Ukraine’s capital. The city administration said Kyiv had withstood “one of the biggest rocket attacks” it has faced since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 10 months ago
Ukraine’s air force said Russian forces had fired cruise missiles from the Admiral Makarov frigate in the Black Sea, while Kh-22 cruise missiles were fired from long-range Tu-22M3 bombers over the Sea of Azov, and tactical aircraft fired guided missiles.
Electricity and water services were interrupted in parts of the country, including in the capital and Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.
Thousands of people sought shelter in subway stations deep underground during the bombardment.
State-owned grid operator, Ukrenergo noted on Facebook that emergency shutdowns were triggered across the country.
Priority in restoring power will be given to critical infrastructure facilities, including hospitals, water supply facilities, heat supply facilities, and sewage treatment plants.
Ninth Wave Of Missile Strikes On Energy Facilities
According to Ukrenergo, Friday’s attack was “the ninth wave of missile strikes on energy facilities” and because of the repeated damage, “the restoration of power supply may take longer than before.”
Analysts have said Russian strikes targeting energy infrastructure were part of a new strategy to try to freeze Ukrainians into submission after recent battlefield losses by Russian forces.
Officials and experts say that has only strengthened the resolve of Ukrainians to face up to Russia’s invasion, while Moscow tries to buy time for a possible attack in coming months.
In Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown, a missile crashed into a four-story residential building and left a wide hole in its upper floors, with rubble spilling onto the ground.
Igor Karelin, Deputy Head of the city’s emergency services revealed that two people were killed and at least 13 others were taken to the hospital.
Ukrzaliznytsia, the national railway operator, announced that power was out in a number of stations in the eastern and central Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, due to damage to the energy infrastructure.
However, trains continued to run by switching from electric power to steam-engine power, which had been prepared as a backup.
In neighboring Moldova, the state-owned energy company, Moldelectrica reported disruptions to its electricity network as a result of Russia’s strikes on Ukraine, and warned of a “high risk” of power outages.
