These were probably Russia’s most violent air raids on Ukraine since the beginning of the war: Sirens wailed in numerous cities in the east and west of the country today. At least 30 people were killed.
At least 30 people were killed and 144 injured in unprecedented Russian airstrikes in Ukraine on Friday morning, Ukrainian regional authorities said. Additional victims are suspected.
The Ukrainian leadership spoke of massive terror against the civilian population. There were deaths in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Odessa, Lviv and the capital Kiev, and injuries in other places.
Most massive air raids since the beginning of the war
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired 158 missiles and combat drones. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valeryi Zalushnyj spoke of 122 rockets and cruise missiles as well as 36 drones.
Never since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have there been such strong air strikes in one day. The highest officially reported number of Russian missiles fired at Ukraine in one day was more than 90.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian parties to the conflict cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
“Material for two or three more waves of attacks like this”
The strikes were carried out in several waves from different directions and using strategic bombers. “Today Russia fired with almost everything it has in its arsenal – Kinshal, S-300, cruise missiles, drones. Strategic bombers fired Ch-101/Ch-505 (Russian cruise missiles),” wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky .
Security policy expert Nico Lange wrote on They are not a spontaneous reaction, for example, to the destruction of a Russian ship by Ukraine. The planning periods for such complex attacks are too long.
“Such attacks by Russia were unfortunately to be expected, as Russia had apparently been saving newly produced cruise missiles for this purpose for some time,” Lange continued. One must assume that Russia currently has material for two or three more waves of attacks like this.
demoralization the civilian population as goal
The air strikes are seen as a deliberate attempt by the Russian military leadership to break Ukrainian resistance to the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin. After the current attacks, Zelenskyj spoke of major damage in the civilian sector: a maternity ward, educational institutions, a shopping center and many private homes were hit. Many residential buildings and civilian buildings were on fire.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spoke of a genocide in view of the many civilian victims and called on the international community to respond. Russia will not stop talk of war weariness and a possible ceasefire, of temporary renunciation of territory (by Ukraine) and of negotiations, the statement said. Moscow’s goal is the destruction of Ukraine.
Biden: Putin’s war goals unchanged
US President Joe Biden also said in response to the attacks that they made it clear that Putin’s war aim had not changed. He again called on Congress to approve additional funding for Kiev. “Overnight, Russia launched its largest airstrike on Ukraine since the beginning of this war,” Biden said in a written statement.
With its military assistance, the USA had helped to save many lives, he emphasized. “But unless Congress acts urgently in the new year, we will be unable to continue delivering the weapons and vital air defense systems Ukraine needs to protect its people. Congress must act, and without further delay.”
Britain has meanwhile promised Ukraine more weapons. British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps wrote on X that hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles would be delivered to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities. According to his department, there are 200 missiles.
Polish airspace was probably also violated
According to the Polish army, in the course of the massive air strikes, a Russian missile also violated the airspace of NATO member Poland. “Everything indicates that a Russian missile has entered Polish airspace. We tracked it on the radar and left the airspace again,” said Chief of General Staff Wieslaw Kukula in Warsaw.
According to the information, the rocket was in Polish airspace for about three minutes and flew over 40 kilometers. The western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which Russia is also attacking today, is only about 70 kilometers from the Polish border.
Russia began its war of aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and has repeatedly fired on civilian targets far behind the front. Last winter, energy supply facilities in particular were the target of Russian attacks. Experts warn against a repeat of this tactic this winter.