This week, heavy fighting continued to rage all along the front lines with the most intense battles being fought in the directions of Kurakhove and Pokrovsk. On Wednesday alone, more than 200 combat engagements happened across the frontlines. Russian forces have moved to within six kilometers of Pokrovsk, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimates.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Sunday that 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 370,000 wounded since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. He also claimed that Russian losses exceed 750,000 with 198,000 Russian soldiers killed and a further 550,000 wounded.
Russia can no longer sustain both an efficient defense industry and a stable economy, ISW said. After the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Russian forces are deploying aircraft and warships to retreat from the country, according to Ukraine’s defense intelligence reports.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk discussed sending a peacekeeping force to Ukraine. Security analysts lay out various models to draw on to end the war.
Russia launches its latest massive missile, drone attack against Ukraine, targeting energy sites
Russia launched 94 cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine on Friday morning, targeting energy infrastructure across the country. The morning missile strike was preceded by an overnight attack involving 193 drones. Ukraine’s Air Force said it shot down 81 missiles and 80 drones, 105 more drones disappeared off radar after likely being disabled by electronic warfare systems. One more drone flew into Belarus, and five more returned to Russia.
Ukraine’s energy minister, Herman Halushchenko denounced the attack on the country’s power grid, saying: “The enemy continues its terror. Once again, the energy sector across Ukraine is under massive attack.” As the attack unfolded, energy officials announced longer, emergency power cuts, but they did not make clear whether that was because of new damage or whether it was a precautionary measure.
Russia particularly targeted energy sites in Ukraine’s western regions. The missiles hit targets in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, local authorities said. Svitlana Onishchuk, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk regional military administration, said the area had suffered “the biggest attack since the beginning of the full-scale war”, from cruise missiles and drones. Ternopil region has suffered “negative effects” from the strike, regional authorities said.
The attack caused “serious damage” to thermal power plants operated by DTEK, the company said in a statement. There were no immediate reports of casualties.