At Least Six Dead in Ukraine as Russia Escalates Assault with Drones and Missiles
In a devastating strike that highlighted Ukraine's need for air defence assistance, Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Kyiv overnight, killing six people and wounding dozens. The assault, which was carried out by nearly 600 drones and 36 rockets, cut power to the western half of the city, leaving over 500,000 residents without electricity.
Emergency crews were able to restore power to more than 400,000 households, but the attack left a trail of destruction and chaos in its wake. Two people died in the capital city, with at least one person killed in a region surrounding Kyiv, while two others lost their lives in the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating that Ukraine needs help to defend itself against Russian aggression and called on Western countries to provide financial and political support. The Ukrainian leader also urged his nation's allies to work without delay to bolster Ukraine's air defence systems.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its campaign of terrorizing Ukraine's energy infrastructure, targeting the Afipsky oil refinery in southern Russia with a missile strike that caused a fire at the plant. The refinery supplies diesel and jet fuel to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.
The attack comes as Ukraine is grappling with a corruption scandal that has embroiled several high-ranking officials, including Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who was forced to resign after his flat was searched by anti-corruption officials. Two other ministers have already been fired, and the alleged architect of the kickback scheme has fled the country.
Ukraine is also facing pressure from Russia as the war enters its fourth year. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has described Ukraine's leadership as illegitimate, and Moscow hopes that continued bombing and a potential financial crisis for Ukraine will wear it down.
As the talks between Ukraine and Russia resume, Ukrainian officials are facing opposition to their demands for air defence assistance from EU leaders. Despite this, Ukraine remains hopeful that Western countries will provide the support needed to bolster its defences against Russian aggression.
In a devastating strike that highlighted Ukraine's need for air defence assistance, Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Kyiv overnight, killing six people and wounding dozens. The assault, which was carried out by nearly 600 drones and 36 rockets, cut power to the western half of the city, leaving over 500,000 residents without electricity.
Emergency crews were able to restore power to more than 400,000 households, but the attack left a trail of destruction and chaos in its wake. Two people died in the capital city, with at least one person killed in a region surrounding Kyiv, while two others lost their lives in the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating that Ukraine needs help to defend itself against Russian aggression and called on Western countries to provide financial and political support. The Ukrainian leader also urged his nation's allies to work without delay to bolster Ukraine's air defence systems.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its campaign of terrorizing Ukraine's energy infrastructure, targeting the Afipsky oil refinery in southern Russia with a missile strike that caused a fire at the plant. The refinery supplies diesel and jet fuel to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.
The attack comes as Ukraine is grappling with a corruption scandal that has embroiled several high-ranking officials, including Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who was forced to resign after his flat was searched by anti-corruption officials. Two other ministers have already been fired, and the alleged architect of the kickback scheme has fled the country.
Ukraine is also facing pressure from Russia as the war enters its fourth year. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has described Ukraine's leadership as illegitimate, and Moscow hopes that continued bombing and a potential financial crisis for Ukraine will wear it down.
As the talks between Ukraine and Russia resume, Ukrainian officials are facing opposition to their demands for air defence assistance from EU leaders. Despite this, Ukraine remains hopeful that Western countries will provide the support needed to bolster its defences against Russian aggression.
the situation in Ukraine is getting more and more intense 
, it's heartbreaking to see innocent people losing their lives 
. six dead is a lot, and thousands of others are left without power or electricity 
️, that's just too much to handle for one city 
.
, who wouldn't want to support their allies in times of need? the problem is that there's already so much going on in ukraine - corruption scandals and all 
. it's like they're trying to tackle two big problems at once.
, hoping that everyone can stay safe and find a way out of these conflicts 
. the world needs more peace and understanding 
.
ukraine is going thru so much rn... i feel bad 4 those ppl who lost their lives & homes 
Ukraine needs air defence assistance ASAP, but it's like western countries r playin hard 2 get 
anyway, my heart goes out 2 the ppl of ukraine, stay strong & hope 4 a peaceful resolushun 
. But at the same time, it makes you wonder about the responsibility that comes with power and influence 
. I mean, if Western countries are saying no to air defence assistance, what does that say about their priorities? 
.
.
I'm all for Ukraine but come on, Western countries gotta step up their game here. Can't have Russia just terrorizing them whenever it feels like it 
. And what's with the corruption scandal? 
Like, priorities, people! We're dealing with a war zone here, not some internal office politics. 
Can we please focus on getting Ukraine the air defence they need to survive this? 
Drones & missiles are just getting worse... think we've seen enough chaos in '24 already 
.