Russia launches 40 drones and 42 missiles in another major attack on Ukraine. Ukraine’s president, foreign minister plead for more air defenses after a major Russian attack. The EU Parliament delays approval of the EU Council budget until Ukraine gets more Patriot systems.
Russia launches 40 drones, 42 missiles in another major attack on Ukraine
Russia carried out a sweeping drone and missile attack on Ukraine early Thursday. It launched several waves of Shahed drones at targets across Ukraine, including in the western regions. It also launched Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers, Kinzhal ballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft, guided missiles from Su-34 fighter-bombers, and S-300 surface-to-air missiles.
The strikes were once again aimed at Ukraine’s energy grid. The attack damaged power-generating facilities, substations, and transmission facilities in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa regions. Ukraine’s largest private electricity company DTEK said Russia’s strikes hit two of its power stations. There were no casualties in the attacks.
Ukraine’s defense forces took down 39 of the 40 drones, and 18 of the 42 missiles launched by Russia in several waves. Among the missiles that penetrated the air defenses were six Kinzhals, 12 S-300 missiles, two of four Kh-59 guided missiles, and four of 20 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles.
At least 10 missiles struck Kharkiv and the adjacent region. The region, which already has rolling blackouts in place, was forced to cut electricity for 200,000 people. The Kharkiv metro briefly suspended service, and resumed operations at 11a.m. local time. Trains operate every 20 minutes.
In Lviv region, the strikes attacked natural gas storage facilities in the Stryi district, and an electrical substation in Chervonohrad. The fires that erupted there were extinguished. Russia used a combination of cruise missiles and the Kinzhals in the attacks.
The missiles hit two targets in Zaporizhzhia region, damaging an energy facility in the district surrounding the city of Zaporizhzhia.
The attack completely destroyed the Trypillya thermal power plant, the largest such facility in Kyiv region. The plant was a major power supplier of electricity to Kyiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions. As of Thursday afternoon, firefighters had localized the flames and were extinguishing smaller fires. The facility is owned by state-run energy company Centrenergo. The company has lost 100 per cent of its power generation across its three plants, which have all been destroyed or occupied by Russia.
“The scale of the destruction is terrible. Money can’t estimate it. This is the biggest challenge for us in the history of the company,” Centerenergo said in a statement. The chairman of the company’s supervisory board, Andriy Gota, said “I am convinced that we will cope with it.”
In Odesa region, debris from intercepted drones ignited a fire on the territory of an energy facility. It was later put out.
In a separate episode, at around 11a.m., a ballistic missile attack on Mykolayiv killed four and injured five others.
Two more explosions rocked Kharkiv in the afternoon. An alert earlier issued by Ukraine’s Air Force had warned of possible air and ballistic missile strikes.
Ukraine’s president, foreign minister plead for more air defenses after major Russian attack
In a post on X Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi made a plea for more air defense systems after Russia launched more than 40 missiles and 40 drones overnight at Ukraine.
“Some missiles and Shahed drones were successfully shot down. Unfortunately, only a part of them,” Zelenskyi said.
Russia once again targeted Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, he said. “There was another heinous missile attack on Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region. They also targeted objects in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Odesa regions,” he added.
“All of our European neighbors and other partners see Ukraine’s critical need for air defense systems,” Zelenskyi said. By helping Ukraine the world can demonstrate that all terror is treated equally as a crime. He said if Russia was allowed to continue striking its energy infrastructure, “this will amount to a global license for terror.”
“We need air defense systems and other defense assistance, not just turning a blind eye and having lengthy discussions,” Zelenskyi said.
“I am grateful to everyone in the world who truly supports Ukraine’s struggle for life. I thank every leader who will not remain silent, who will continue to support us and condemn the Russian terror,” the message reads.
There is currently no other place for Patriot air defense systems to be, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba said on X on Thursday.
“Russia fired over 80 missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight, primarily targeting critical civilian infrastructure. Six of them were ballistic missiles. Ukraine remains the only country in the world facing ballistic strikes. There is currently no other place for ‘Patriots’ to be.”
“I am confident that if those on whom their provision to Ukraine depends spent at least one night in Kharkiv all necessary decisions would have been made quickly. And I would be ready to go together with them,” he added.
EU Parliament delays approval of Council budget until Ukraine gets more Patriot systems
The European Parliament on Thursday refused to sign off on an audit of the European Council and Council of Ministers’ 2022 budget in an attempt to pressure EU leaders to support Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense systems.
The budget move was proposed by former Belgian Prime Minister and MEP Guy Verhofstadt, who won the backing of lawmakers to delay the voting until the next plenary session this month.
In his speech, Verhofstadt recalled that “there are in total 100 of these Patriot systems in Europe and they asked for seven.” His suggestion was applauded, and the decision passed by a vote of 515 to 62.
Verhofstadt and Andrius Kubilius, MEP and former Lithuanian Prime Minister, both said on X that the European Parliament has suspended the decision on financing the EU Council for failing to deliver Patriot systems to Ukraine.
The Tragic Fate of Cultural Heritage in Occupied Territories. Ukraine in Flames #596
1,946 objects of cultural infrastructure were damaged or destroyed due to Russian aggression. Such data was made public by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy in February this year. 317 of them (which is 16%) were completely destroyed. The largest group of objects damaged or destroyed by the Russian military are local cultural hubs – they make up 48% of the total number of institutions. Destroyed institutions also include libraries, museums, galleries, theaters, parks, nature reserves, and more. Watch Ukraine in flames #596 to find out more about the cultural heritage lost to Russian occupation in Ukraine, exploring avenues for the return of these treasures to their rightful home.
Guests:
- Denys Yashnyi, Leading Researcher of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”, Head of the Monitoring Group of the Crimean Institute of Strategic Studies
- Mariana Tomyn, Director of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine
- Lina Doroshenko, Head of the Sector of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine