KYIV, Jan 13: Russia launched a second major drone and missile attack on Ukraine in four days, hitting the power grid and civilian infrastructure as the war approaches its fourth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said nearly 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles struck eight regions overnight.
A strike at a mail depot in Kharkiv killed four people, while hundreds of thousands of households in Kyiv lost power amid temperatures around -12°C (10°F).
Four days earlier, Russia carried out a similar large-scale attack, deploying hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including a new hypersonic missile that hit western Ukraine, signaling defiance toward Kyiv’s NATO allies.
The United States condemned the escalation as “dangerous and inexplicable,” with US Deputy Ambassador Tammy Bruce telling the UN Security Council that Washington deplores the rising civilian casualties and condemns attacks on energy and infrastructure.
The latest strikes also injured 10 people in Kharkiv and six in Odesa, damaging hospitals, schools, residential buildings, and energy facilities.
Ukrainian officials described the attacks as “weaponising winter,” aiming to deny heat and water to civilians in freezing conditions. Zelenskyy urged faster deliveries of air defence systems from the US and Europe, along with additional aid, to counter the assault.
Meanwhile, Russia reported shooting down 11 Ukrainian drones, including seven over Rostov region, where an attack on the coastal city of Taganrog was confirmed. Ukrainian forces have previously targeted Taganrog-based drone and aircraft companies. (AP)
