Russia Launches Widespread Attack on Ukraine, Targeting Nine Regions
Russia's military launched a widespread attack on Ukraine overnight, targeting civilian infrastructure across nine regions. The strikes, which Russia claims hit Ukraine's military-industrial complex and energy facilities, left five dead and several injured. Notably, Lviv, previously spared from the full-scale invasion, was targeted for the first time.
The assault, involving drones, rockets, and missiles, hit Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odessa, and Kirovohrad. In Lviv, the attack left parts of the city without power and disrupted public transportation. In Zaporizhzhia, an aerial assault resulted in a civilian woman's death and nine injuries, with around 73,000 households left without power.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for more air defenses to counter Russia's 'aerial terror' as winter approaches. Russia has been increasingly targeting Ukraine's power grid and railway network, aiming to deprive civilians of essential services and disrupt military transport. The attack on February 13 was one of many recent strikes on Ukraine's railway network, which is crucial for military transport.
Russia's escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure and power grids have raised concerns about the upcoming winter. With the Ukrainian president calling for more air defenses, the international community's support for Ukraine remains crucial in the face of Russia's 'qualitatively new stage of escalation'.
