President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched a massive wave of deadly nighttime attacks against Ukraine, using more than 90 missiles and 60 Iranian-made drones in one of the largest offensives in recent memory, AFP reported.
"At night there were more than 60 Shahed and almost 90 missiles of different types. The world sees the targets of Russian terrorists as clearly as possible: power plants and power supply lines, a dam, ordinary residential buildings, even a trolleybus," he said.
Ukraine's interior ministry said at least two people were killed and 14 wounded in the strikes, with three missing.
"All our services are currently involved in the aftermath of the attack. We are using robotic equipment in dangerous areas to minimize injuries to rescuers," it said.
Zelensky once again called for more Western weapons.
"The Russian missiles have no delays, unlike the aid packages for our country. There is no indecision with Shahed, as with some politicians. It is important to understand the cost of delays and postponement of decisions," said Zelensky.
"We need air defense to protect people, infrastructure, homes and dams. Our partners know exactly what is needed. They can definitely support us... Life must be protected from these inhumans from Moscow," the president added.
One of the strikes snapped one of two power lines feeding Europe's largest nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine.
"At the moment, the enemy is carrying out the most large-scale attack on Ukrainian energy in recent times," Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook, adding that the shelling disabled "one of the power lines feeding" the Zaporizhia power plant.
The facility, which is Europe's largest nuclear power site, was seized by Russian troops in the early days of the war, but is powered by Ukrainian power lines.
"The situation is extremely dangerous and risks causing an emergency," Ukrainian nuclear power operator Energoatom said.
In the event that the last power line is cut, the plant will be "on the verge of another blackout, which is a serious violation of the conditions for the safe operation of the plant."
Since the start of the war, the Zaporizhia power plant has experienced repeated power outages, reverting to emergency diesel generators and safety systems.
"In the event of their failure, there will be a threat of a nuclear and radiation accident," declared Energoatom.
According to the governor of Zaporizhia, 12 Russian rockets hit the region early in the morning, destroying several houses and injuring an unknown number of people.
"According to initial data, 7 houses were destroyed, 35 were damaged," Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram, adding that there were injured people.
Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian mayor of the city of Mariupol, which has been under Russian control since 2022, said on Telegram that a Russian missile had hit a trolleybus at the Dnepr hydroelectric plant, also in Zaporozhye, killing the civilians on board.
Oleksandr Simchyshyn, mayor of the western city of Khmelnytskyi, described a "terrible morning" with damage to infrastructure and residential buildings.
"There are victims and victims among the civilian population," he announced in Telegram.
The Interior Ministry said two people were killed and 8 injured in the region.
Energy sites were targeted by Russian missile, drone and artillery strikes in multiple cities across Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Kryvyi Rih.
"The goal is not just to cause damage, but to try again, like last year, to cause a large-scale collapse of the country's energy system," stressed Energy Minister Galushchenko. /BGNES