Russia has unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage throughout Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure.
At least three people were reported killed, and power cuts were reported across the country on Monday.
The barrage began around midnight and continued beyond daybreak in what appeared to be Russia’s biggest attack against Ukraine in weeks.
Russian forces fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions — more than half the country, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
“The energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists. Unfortunately, there is damage in a number of regions,” Shmyhal said.
Shmyhal added that Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilise the system.
He called on Ukraine’s allies to provide Kiev with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.
“In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched,” Shmyhal said adding “We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.”
According to Ukraine’s air force, there were multiple groups of Russian drones moving toward the eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of Ukraine, followed by multiple cruise and ballistic missiles.