In one of the most intense exchanges of long-range fire in the ongoing conflict, Russia unleashed a massive aerial assault on Ukraine overnight, leading to significant casualties and damage. Ukraine responded with a powerful counter-strike on a strategic Russian oil terminal.
Widespread Devastation in Ukrainian Cities
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian forces launched approximately 430 drones and 18 missiles in a coordinated attack. The onslaught resulted in the deaths of at least four people in the capital, Kyiv, with more than two dozen others injured, including children.
President Zelensky condemned the assault, branding it as a 'wicked' and specially calculated attack intended to inflict maximum harm on civilians. He confirmed that the barrage damaged dozens of apartment buildings and even struck the Azerbaijan Embassy with fragments from an Iskander missile.
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko echoed the president's sentiments, labelling the attackers 'complete scum' for targeting people and residential areas. City authorities warned that the attacks could lead to widespread power and water outages as the energy grid suffers under the strain.
Russia's Stated Aims and Ukraine's Powerful Response
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev outlined Moscow's brutal strategy, stating the aim is to break through Ukrainian defences and cripple civilian power infrastructure to leave the population freezing during the winter. He claimed Ukraine is in a 'classic zugzwang,' where every move leads to further losses.
However, Ukraine demonstrated its growing military capability with a devastating retaliatory strike. Using new home-produced missiles and powerful drones, Ukrainian forces hit the key Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea.
The attack caused huge explosions and massive infernos at the major oil loading complex, a critical outlet for Russian oil exports. Russian officials reported damage to a docked ship, apartment buildings, and other coastal structures. In a further significant blow, Ukrainian forces are believed to have struck Putin's 1537th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment in the same city, potentially damaging advanced S-300/S-400 SAM systems.
Doomsday Radio Silenced and Escalating Tensions
In a symbolic strike, a notorious Russian 'Doomsday Radio' station, known for transmitting coded messages during times of high global tension, was knocked off the air. A drone strike on the electricity station powering the Cold War relic, officially called The Buzzer, forced it into silence after 50 years of continuous operation.
This intense exchange of strikes marks a significant escalation in the conflict, with both sides demonstrating their ability to launch devastating long-range attacks on military and civilian infrastructure. The situation remains volatile as the war enters another winter.
