Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Vladimir Putin of “terrorising millions of people” after Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks against Ukraine’s energy grid.
Vladimir Putin’s troops launched 93 missiles and almost 200 drones across Ukraine overnight into Friday, Mr Zelensky said, with the Ukrainian air force having to scramble prized western-supplied F-16 fighter jets to shoot down some of the projectiles. The air force said just under 90 per cent of the missiles were shot down.
“This is Putin’s ‘peace plan’ – to destroy everything. This is how he wants ‘negotiations’ – by terrorizing millions of people,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“A strong reaction is needed from the world: a massive attack must be met with a massive reaction. This is the only way terror can be stopped.
“Putin won’t be stopped by empty talk—strength is what is needed to bring peace. Strength that is not afraid of its ability to confront and stop evil.”
The Ukrainian air force gave minute-by-minute updates for almost eight hours through the night as the whole country came under air raid alerts and millions were forced to take shelter in metro stations and underground bunkers.
Russia has repeatedly attempted to cripple Ukraine’s in an effort to break the will of civilians left in the dark with no running water or heating and to disrupt Ukrainian defense manufacturing.
Ukrainian energy minister Herman Halushchenko said energy workers were doing everything necessary to “minimize negative consequences for the energy system”, promising to release more details on damages once the security situation allowed it.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, said five out of Ukraine’s nine nuclear reactor units suffered “reduced power output due to renewed attacks on energy infrastructure”.
On Thursday, the watchdog’s 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution condemning attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but came under criticism for failing to mention Russia as the culprit.
In its updated statement on Friday after the latest round of strikes, they again declined to mention Russia by name.
The US Embassy in Kyiv said Friday’s attack also targeted transport networks and other key facilities.
Ukraine’s air force reported multiple strike drones launched at Ukraine overnight followed by swarms of cruise missiles in the country’s air space. It said Russia also used air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles against Ukraine’s western regions.
Moscow has declared that the aerial attacks are aimed at hobbling Ukraine’s defense industry, thwarting the production of missiles, drones, armored vehicles and artillery, among other weapons.
A similar massive attack on 28 November involved about 200 missiles and drones and left more than a million households without power until emergency teams restored supplies.
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is stockpiling cruise and ballistic missiles for more attacks.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued to push towards the key eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.
Putin’s forces are within just a few miles of the outskirts of the city, which sits on key logistical routes through the wider Donetsk region, and fears abound the loss of Pokrovsk could presage a larger Russian attack.
The new commander of Ukraine’s ground forces announced he plans a “massive transformation” of his branch to improve troop training, management and recruitment in a bid to improve manpower problems at the front that have proved so costly in the defence of Donetsk.