Two individuals lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries in Kyiv following an onslaught of Russian missiles and drones on various locations in Ukraine overnight, targeting infrastructure and energy facilities, as per Ukrainian authorities on Saturday. The assault in Kyiv triggered multiple fires and inflicted damage on residential structures, including a kindergarten, according to city officials.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko expressed, “These attacks once again aimed at our civilian and energy infrastructure,” adding that Russia’s actions are exacerbating the potential for a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine coinciding with the winter season. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that Russian missiles and drones also struck the energy grid, railways, and residential areas in Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Sumy.
The Russian Defence Ministry, in a statement on Telegram, stated that the overnight attacks were directed at Ukraine’s military-industrial complex enterprises and energy infrastructure facilities supporting its operations. Furthermore, the ministry reported downing 121 Ukrainian drones overnight, including seven headed towards Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of Patriot air defense systems to shield Ukrainian cities from relentless Russian assaults. Zelenskyy highlighted Russia’s consistent attacks, mentioning the launch of approximately 770 ballistic missiles and over 50 ‘Kinzhal’ missiles at Ukraine since the beginning of the year.
Efforts to procure 25 Patriot air defense systems from the U.S. are underway, with Zelenskyy urging the support of America, Europe, and G7 nations to prevent such attacks from endangering lives. Ukraine’s air force reported downing four missiles and 50 drones out of the nine missiles and 62 drones launched in the overnight attacks, with five direct missile hits and 12 drone impacts across 11 locations nationwide.