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Ukraine Facing Darkness After Deadly Russian Strikes

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Much of Ukraine plunged into darkness Monday after its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said his nation suffered “one of the biggest combined strikes” of the war waged by Russia on Ukraine, killing and injuring numerous people.

The barrage of over 100 missiles and a similar number of drones began around midnight and continued through the day, leaving at least six people dead and dozens injured, officials said.

Several energy facilities were hit in the attacks that President Zelenskyy described as “vile.”

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia fired drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainian regions — more than half the country.

Places suffering included Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth largest city, some 391 kilometers (243 miles) southeast of Kyiv on the Dnipro River.

“We have big problems with the light at night,” said resident Alina, speaking to Worthy News from Dnipro.

The mother-of-one expressed concerns about her young son, who needed hospital treatment for respiratory issues as the war takes its toll on those whose lives have just begun.

AIR FORCE ACTIVE

Ukraine’s air force said swarms of Russian drones fired at eastern, northern, southern, and central regions were followed by volleys of cruise and ballistic missiles.

“Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said, adding that most of the country was targeted — from the Kharkiv region and Kyiv to Odesa and the west.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, the capital. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attack disrupted power and water supplies in the city.

The strikes, which targeted mainly civilian energy infrastructure, caused power cuts and water outages in numerous parts of the country, including in some districts of the capital, Kyiv.

“And like most previous Russian strikes, this one is just as a base, targeting critical civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy noted.

Zelenskyy also said that in some places, Russia “attacked civilian targets with cluster munitions.”

The commander of the Ukrainian air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, said Russia launched 127 missiles, of which 102 were intercepted. He added that the Russian troops had also launched 109 drones.

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

While many were intercepted, those that did hit targets created death and destruction. Those killed included two men – one aged 69 and another aged 47 – who died in separate attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, local governor Sergiy Lysak said. Others were injured, including a 14-year-old girl, he added.

Separately, a man was killed when his house was hit in Zaporizhzhia, said the area’s governor.

The mayor of Lutsk said one person had been killed when an “infrastructure facility” was hit. He added that five others were wounded, and most of the city had no running water.

Elsewhere in Izyum in Kharkiv region, a man was killed in a missile strike, the regional head said. And in the Zhytomyr area in western Ukraine, a woman died after homes and infrastructure buildings were hit by missiles, according to the governor.

Russia also said Monday it had struck Ukrainian forces at more than a dozen places along the front in the Kursk region of western Russia, where Ukraine captured a slice of territory after smashing through the Russian border 20 days ago.

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers entered Russia on August 6 in the most significant foreign surprise attack since World War Two.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was aimed at improving Kyiv’s negotiating position ahead of possible talks and slowing the advance of Russian forces along the front.

However, Moscow made clear Monday it saw no reason to have peace talks with Ukraine after its offensive into Russia and warned its operations in the country would continue.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sparking a war that is believed to have killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people.