At least five civilians tragically lost their lives following a large-scale attack by Russia that involved drones, missiles, and guided aerial bombs on Ukraine overnight into Sunday. This significant nighttime offensive was reported to have targeted civilian infrastructure, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that over 50 ballistic missiles and approximately 500 drones struck nine regions across the country.
The attack particularly affected the historic city of Lviv, where four people, including a 15-year-old, were killed due to a combined drone and missile strike. Regional officials and Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed that at least six others were injured in this assault. The repercussions of the strike were severe, leading to power outages in two districts and a suspension of public transport for several hours, as reported by Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi. A business complex, described as a civilian facility not linked to Ukraine's military efforts, caught fire following the attack.
In addition to the tragedies in Lviv, one individual was reported injured in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, situated south of Lviv, as stated by local Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk.
The southern city of Zaporizhzhia also suffered from this wave of attacks. Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov reported that a civilian woman was killed, and nine others were injured, including a 16-year-old girl. The region faced an aerial assault that involved both drones and guided aerial bombs, resulting in significant damage to residential buildings and leaving around 73,000 households without power.
Moreover, in the eastern Donetsk region, specifically in the city of Sloviansk, six people, including a child, were injured when a Russian guided aerial bomb struck an apartment block. Regional prosecutors noted that Russian airstrikes on Saturday evening had damaged over two dozen residential buildings along with various commercial properties, including cars, shops, and a café.
In light of these continued assaults, President Zelenskyy once again urged Ukraine’s Western allies to provide additional air defense systems to counter what he described as Russia's "aerial terror." In a Telegram post, he emphasized the need for more robust protection and swift implementation of all defense agreements, particularly regarding air defense, to render these aerial attacks ineffective.
Ukraine has undertaken long-range strikes targeting Russian infrastructure in recent months, particularly focusing on Moscow's oil facilities, contributing to ongoing fuel shortages in Russia. Conversely, the Kremlin has heightened its attacks on Ukraine's power grid in anticipation of winter, mimicking strategies utilized in previous years since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian officials claim that these strikes aim to weaponize the winter season by depriving civilians of essential services such as heat, light, and running water.
Additionally, Russian airstrikes on Ukraine’s railway network—vital for military logistics—have intensified, with daily attacks reported over the past two months. Recently, a Russian drone strike hit a railway station in the northern city of Shostka, resulting in one death and numerous injuries.
