Russian missiles raining on several Ukraine regions

Ukraine’s state hydropower company said a Russian strike hit the country’s largest dam, the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia, but that there was no risk of a breach.

“There is currently a fire at the station. Emergency services and energy workers are working on the spot, dealing with the consequences of numerous airstrikes,” the utility said.

According to Ukrainian officials, several Russian missiles were still moving towards targets in Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent reported the Ukrainian Air Force warned of the threat of drone attacks.

At the same time, Russian air defence systems shot down eight Vampire rockets launched by Ukraine at Russia’s Belgorod region, Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Russia fired two ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles at Kyiv before dawn on Thursday, attacking the Ukrainian capital for the first time in six weeks and sending panicked residents flooding into the relative safety of the subway system in a scene reminiscent of the first weeks of the war. They also arrived at roughly the same time from different directions, Ukrainian authorities said. The attack occurred hours after a visit to Kyiv by US President Joe Biden’s top foreign policy adviser, Jake Sullivan.

Air defences shot down all the missiles, though the falling wreckage still damaged apartment buildings and injured 13 people, including a child, officials said.

An estimated 25,000 people, including about 3000 children, took shelter in the city’s subway stations as air raid sirens wailed for about three hours, officials said.

Survivors, some in tears as emergency workers treated them in the streets, recounted narrowly escaping from their homes after being jolted awake by loud bangs at around 5am.

Raisa Kozenko, a 71-year-old whose apartment lost its doors and windows in the blast, said her son jumped out of bed just in time. “He was covered in blood, in the rubble,” she said, trembling from shock. “And all I can say is … the apartment is completely destroyed.”

Russia has attacked civilian areas since the war started in February 2022 in an apparent effort to demoralise Ukrainians and break their will to fight. But the attack on Thursday hardened Kozenko’s will to prevail.

“I believe in our victory. We will prevail no matter what,” she said.

Kyiv has better air defences than most other Ukrainian cities and regions, including sophisticated systems provided by Western allies. The missile interception rate is frequently high, rendering Russian attacks on the capital significantly less successful than earlier in the war. Other places, including the port city of Odesa, are more vulnerable and have sustained heavy damage from Russian missiles.

Ukrainian officials warn that their resources are stretched thin and that they need considerably more Western weapons if they are to keep fighting Russia’s invasion.

The heavy attacks on Kyiv came after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday threatened to “respond in kind” to recent Ukrainian aerial attacks on Belgorod, which have embarrassed the Kremlin and which Russian officials say have killed civilians.

At an event at the Kremlin, Putin said Russia “can respond in the same way regarding civilian infrastructure and all other objects of this kind that the enemy attacks. We have our own views on this matter and our own plans. We will follow what we have outlined.”

Five people were injured in the attack on the Belgorod region on Thursday that damaged homes and a sports stadium, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it stopped 10 rockets over the region.

On Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, the Financial Times reported that the US had urged Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, warning that drone strikes risk provoking retaliation and driving up global oil prices.

Reuters, AP