Russia has launched nearly 200 missiles and drones into Ukraine in response to recent Western ATACMS and Storm Shadow missile strikes.
On November 28, Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving at least 1 million people without power in several provinces in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said the Ukrenergo power grid operator decided to cut off power in the midst of the attack. The attack caused damage across western, southern and central Ukraine.
Ukraine has disconnected several nuclear power units amid the attack, an energy industry source told Reuters. Nuclear power provides more than 50 percent of Ukraine’s electricity.
The attack came as Ukraine entered winter. Kyiv officials said it was the second major attack on energy infrastructure in the past month and the 11th such attack since March. An estimated half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity was destroyed by the Russian attacks, affecting distribution systems and causing prolonged blackouts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that last night, Russia launched about 90 missiles and 100 UAVs against military targets in Ukraine. The action was in response to Ukraine’s continuous attacks with Western weapons, according to RT.
RIA Novosti on the same day quoted the Russian Defense Ministry’s announcement that it had carried out targeted attacks on 146 locations with personnel, military equipment, mercenaries, energy infrastructure, defense industry, military administration and communications in Ukraine. Moscow denied the accusation of attacking Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. In addition, Russian air defense forces shot down 1 Neptune guided missile and 49 Ukrainian UAVs.
Russia threatens to attack Kyiv
Speaking at a meeting of the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the capital Astana of Kazakhstan on November 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that he would not ignore attacks on Russian territory using Western weapons.
“Our strikes are in response to the ongoing attacks on Russian territory with American ATACMS missiles. As I have said many times, we will always respond,” the leader stressed, according to TASS.
Last week, Russia launched its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile into Ukraine. So far, Russia has not bombed government buildings in Kyiv, but Mr. Putin warned that it could happen soon. The Kremlin leader also said that although the Ukrainian capital is heavily defended, the Oreshnik is an unstoppable weapon. According to him, the Oreshnik missile has dozens of warheads, attacks the target at a speed of Mach 10 (12,250 km/h), and reaches a temperature of 4,000 degrees Celsius, helping it burn everything in the center of the attack to ashes. Mr. Putin claimed that the Oreshnik can destroy targets deep underground and that a large-scale attack with this missile “can be compared to a nuclear attack”.
“Currently, the Defense Ministry and the General Staff are selecting targets on the territory of Ukraine to strike. These could be military facilities, defense and industrial enterprises, or decision-making centers in Kyiv,” President Putin threatened.
Mr. Putin said that Russia’s production of advanced missiles has exceeded NATO’s by 10 times and Moscow plans to increase it further. On the other hand, Mr. Putin also threatened to use all the weapons at hand if Ukraine possesses nuclear weapons.
US prepares new arms package for Ukraine
After the November 28 attack, President Zelensky renewed his call for Western partners to provide more air defense weapons and ensure timely deliveries to Ukraine, especially during the winter months.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha made a similar call, saying that Kremlin leaders must be brought to the table for peace talks “through strength”.
Earlier, Reuters quoted US officials as saying that the Biden administration was preparing a new $725 million arms aid package for Ukraine, taken from military stocks. The weapons include anti-tank missiles, mines, UAVs, shells for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and cluster munitions.
The administration may notify the US Congress as early as next week, and the size of the aid package may change until President Biden signs it. Recent military aid from the US military stockpile has ranged from $125 million to $250 million.
President Biden has about $4 billion to $5 billion in weapons approved by the US Congress that he could provide to Ukraine before handing over the White House to President-elect Donald Trump next year.
Earlier, a Russian diplomat at the UN warned that cutting off US aid would be a “death sentence” for Ukraine.
