Seven people die in massive Russian strikes on Ukraine

By Stefan J. Bos 

Residents in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and cities in the north, south, west, and centre. Nobody in Ukraine seemed safe Friday as Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles on residential neighbourhoods and infrastructure across this troubled wartorn nation. 

Several people reportedly died when a residential building was hit in Kryvyi Rih, and at least one person was killed in Kherson.

Attacks have intensified as Russia also targets Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials said Russia’s latest attacks on Ukrainian cities “didn’t come as a surprise as they were warning that they would happen for weeks.”

In comments, Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s defence minister, said Friday’s strikes were “unlikely to be the last attacks.”

He warned that this was not going to work. However, he added that the attacks sent a message to Ukraine’s western allies that Kyiv needs air defence systems to protect cities. 

Severe consequences 

Sak claimed that Moscow wanted to compensate for losses on the battlefields and suggested that Russia was trying to force Ukraine to negotiate an unfavourable deal. 

Yet Ukraine’s unwillingness to negotiate under a barrage of missiles and Russia’s refusal to end its invasion of Ukraine has severe consequences for both sides. 

As winter sets in, Ukraine’s state energy operator Ukrenergo said it would take longer to repair the national grid and restore power than it did after previous Russian missile attacks.

In a statement, Ukrenergo noted that this is already “the ninth wave of missile strikes” on energy facilities and that the restoration of the power supply may take longer than before.

It said priority would be given to “critical infrastructure facilities,” including hospitals, water supply facilities, heat supply facilities, and sewage treatment plants. 

Friday’s strikes added to the human suffering in a war that killed at least tens of thousands, injured many more, and displaced millions.