Russia-Ukraine War: 11 Killed In Russian Strikes As Ukraine Targets Energy Infrastructure

At least 11 people were killed across Ukraine after Russia launched one of its biggest overnight attacks of the war on Wednesday, firing around 70 missiles and more than 100 drones at Kyiv and 12 other regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia used 130 drones, 48 cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, with air defences intercepting 161 aerial targets. Kyiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv were among the areas targeted, with residential buildings, industrial facilities and critical infrastructure damaged.

In Pryluky in the Chernihiv region, a Russian missile struck a five-storey residential building, killing at least four people and injuring 20. Two people were also killed in Kyiv, while apartment buildings in Dnipro and Kremenchuk were damaged. A high-rise building in Zaporizhzhia was hit by a drone. Kyiv residents took shelter in metro stations during air raid alerts.

Zelenskyy said energy infrastructure was among the main targets, with the attacks putting further pressure on Ukraine’s energy network ahead of winter. He called for additional air-defence systems, particularly Patriot missiles, saying Russian ballistic missiles remained a major challenge.

Russia’s Defence Ministry described its operation as a “massive strike” on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, saying it used high-precision weapons launched from land, sea and air. Moscow said targets included facilities linked to Ukrainian defence company Fire Point, which produces and stores missiles and drones, as well as port and ship-repair infrastructure in the Odesa region.

Ukraine responded by striking Russian oil and energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces hit four targets supporting Russia’s war effort, including facilities in the Perm, Samara and Astrakhan regions, as well as a military training facility. He also said Ukraine carried out an operation in the Black Sea.

The escalation follows a drone attack on two commercial ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria. One vessel sank and its crew remained missing, while the crew of another damaged ship was rescued. The origin of the drones has not been independently established.

The latest violence comes as India has proposed a three-part Russia-Ukraine truce covering protection of energy and critical infrastructure, continued movement of grain and energy through Black Sea ports, and protection of commercial shipping. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India was engaging both sides on Black Sea shipping, grain and energy exports and possible non-attack arrangements. Ukraine has indicated openness to discussions on the proposal.