Russia launches 40 drones and 42 missiles in another major attack on Ukraine. Ukraine\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strikes were once again aimed at Ukraine\u2019s energy grid. The attack damaged power-generating facilities, substations, and transmission facilities in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa regions. Ukraine\u2019s largest private electricity company DTEK said Russia\u2019s strikes hit two of its power stations. There were no casualties in the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ukraine\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The missiles hit two targets in Zaporizhzhia region, damaging an energy facility in the district surrounding the city of Zaporizhzhia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe scale of the destruction is terrible. Money can\u2019t estimate it. This is the biggest challenge for us in the history of the company,\u201d Centerenergo said in a statement. The chairman of the company\u2019s supervisory board, Andriy Gota, said \u201cI am convinced that we will cope with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Odesa region, debris from intercepted drones ignited a fire on the territory of an energy facility. It was later put out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a separate episode, at around 11a.m., a ballistic missile attack on Mykolayiv killed four and injured five others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two more explosions rocked Kharkiv in the afternoon. An alert earlier issued by Ukraine\u2019s Air Force had warned of possible air and ballistic missile strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome missiles and Shahed drones were successfully shot down. Unfortunately, only a part of them,\u201d Zelenskyi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russia once again targeted Ukraine\u2019s critical infrastructure, he said. \u201cThere was another heinous missile attack on Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region. They also targeted objects in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Odesa regions,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll of our European neighbors and other partners see Ukraine\u2019s critical need for air defense systems,\u201d 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, \u201cthis will amount to a global license for terror.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need air defense systems and other defense assistance, not just turning a blind eye and having lengthy discussions,\u201d Zelenskyi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am grateful to everyone in the world who truly supports Ukraine\u2019s struggle for life. I thank every leader who will not remain silent, who will continue to support us and condemn the Russian terror,\u201d the message reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is currently no other place for Patriot air defense systems to be, Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba said on X on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRussia 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 \u2018Patriots\u2019 to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The European Parliament on Thursday refused to sign off on an audit of the European Council and Council of Ministers\u2019 2022 budget in an attempt to pressure EU leaders to support Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his speech, Verhofstadt recalled that \u201cthere are in total 100 of these Patriot systems in Europe and they asked for seven.\u201d His suggestion was applauded, and the decision passed by a vote of 515 to 62.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n