Ukraine faced a devastating drone and missile strike from Russia on Friday in retaliation for the recent deployment of the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) against a Russian military base, as reported by ABC News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia launched 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones, specifically targeting the country’s energy infrastructure. This attack marked one of the largest bombardments on Ukraine’s energy sector since the invasion commenced almost three years ago.
Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian defense forces successfully intercepted 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles, with the help of Western-supplied General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets. He condemned Russia for continuously “terrorizing millions of people” through these aggressive attacks and urged the international community to intervene and provide more support to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity for a strong international reaction against such acts of terror, stating, “A massive strike – a massive reaction. This is the only way to stop terror.”
Conversely, the Russian Defense Ministry asserted in a statement on its official Telegram channel that the retaliatory strike effectively hit all designated targets:
“In response to the use of American long-range weapons, Russia’s Armed Forces launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air- and sea-based weapons and UAVs on critical fuel and energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine that support the operation of the military-industrial complex.”
Earlier in the week, Ukraine launched six ATACMS at a Russian airfield within its sovereign territory. Russia claimed that all missiles were intercepted following the attack.
Reports from X indicate that Ukraine’s state-owned energy company, Ukrenergo, cautioned that up to 50% of residential customers could face power outages following the recent assault.
Loading…