KYIV – A fresh barrage of Russian strikes battered Ukraine, wounding at least three people including a teenager in Kyiv and cutting electricity in the west.
This morning Ukraine time, blasts were reported across the vast country including in the Ukrainian capital, the second city Kharkiv in the east and the western city of Lviv on the border with Poland.
Most of Lviv, where Russian strikes are still rare, was left without electricity, its mayor Andriy Sadoviy said.
“The enemy is attacking Ukraine from various directions with air and sea-based cruise missiles from strategic aircraft and ships,” Ukraine's air force said on social media, calling the attack “massive.”
Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said that more than 120 missiles had been fired.
After a series of humiliating battlefield setbacks and lost territory this summer and autumn, Moscow has stepped up its aerial campaign repeatedly targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with drones and missiles.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that at least three people were wounded in the strikes, including a 14-year-old girl.
He warned of potential power cuts and called on residents to stock up on water.
Two private houses were hit by fragments of downed missiles in the east of the capital while an industrial enterprise and a playground were damaged in the city’s southwest, city officials said.
In the east, a “series of explosions” hit Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov said.
Governor Oleg Synegubov said “critical infrastructure” was targeted in the region of Kharkiv and its main city where four missiles hit eastern and southern neighbourhoods.
In the historic city of Lviv, Mayor Sadoviy warned of potential water cuts.
Lviv governor Maksim Kozytski said that air defence was at work and called on residents to stay in shelters.
In the south, Odessa governor Maksym Marchenko said air defence shot down 21 missiles over the region.
“Fragments of one of the enemy missiles fell inside a residential building, fortunately, there were no casualties,” he said.
He added that there was damage to energy infrastructure and emergency power cuts were enforced in the region. – AFP, December 29, 2022
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