KYIV – Russia focused Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure in a large-scale missile and drone bombardment throughout the night time, officers mentioned Friday, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned talks with the U.S. on ending the 3-year war will happen subsequent week.
Ukraine got here below a “large missile and drone” assault, Power Minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on Fb. No less than 10 individuals, together with a toddler, have been injured, authorities mentioned.
“Russia is attempting to harm strange Ukrainians by putting vitality and gasoline manufacturing amenities, with out abandoning its objective of leaving us with out gentle and warmth, and inflicting the best hurt to strange residents,” Halushchenko wrote.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid throughout the conflict. The assaults have depleted electrical energy technology capability and disrupted crucial heating and water provides. Ukrainian officers have accused Russia of “weaponizing winter” in an effort to erode civilian morale.
Russia fired 67 missiles from air, land and sea and launched 194 strike and decoy drones, Ukraine’s air pressure mentioned. Their main goal was Ukraine’s pure gasoline extraction amenities, it mentioned.
For the primary time, Ukraine deployed French Mirage-2000 warplanes delivered a month in the past to assist repel the assault, in accordance with the air pressure. Ukraine additionally has Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets to shoot down Russian missiles.
Ukrainian defenses downed 34 missiles and 100 drones, the air pressure mentioned, whereas as much as 10 missiles didn’t attain their targets and 86 drones have been misplaced from radars, presumably jammed by digital warfare.
Western-supplied air protection methods are essential for Ukraine’s combat however additional U.S. assistance is unsure below U.S. President Donald Trump, who says he’s decided to finish the conflict and has paused American military aid for Kyiv as a means of pressuring Zelenskyy to barter.
In his nightly tackle, Zelenskyy mentioned Thursday he would journey to Saudi Arabia on Monday to satisfy the nation’s crown prince, and his staff would keep on to carry talks with U.S. officers.
Zelenskyy welcomed a European Union plan to bolster the continent’s defenses. He expressed hope that a few of the new spending could possibly be used to strengthen Ukraine’s personal protection business.
___
Comply with AP’s protection of the conflict in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2025 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.
