New Delhi, Feb 4: Russia launched a record number of ballistic and cruise missiles along with hundreds of drones against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread damage and fresh heating outages during one of the coldest periods of winter, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, reports the BBC. The overnight strikes hit power plants and critical facilities in Kyiv and several other cities, including Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa. Private energy company DTEK said the attacks amounted to the “most powerful blow” to the energy sector so far this year, confirming that two of its power plants were struck again, with one in Kharkiv damaged beyond repair.
With temperatures falling to minus 20 degrees Celsius, more than 1,000 residential buildings in Kyiv were left without heating.
Residents spent hours sheltering in metro stations as air raid alerts lasted over seven hours. Zelensky said Russia fired more than 70 ballistic and cruise missiles and around 450 drones, overwhelming Ukraine’s air defences. The air force said only 38 missiles were intercepted. He accused Moscow of “choosing terror and escalation” over diplomacy and called on Ukraine’s allies to apply “maximum pressure” on Russia and urgently supply more air defence missiles.
The attack came days after an “energy truce” brokered by former US President Donald Trump expired, and coincided with a visit to Kyiv by Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Rutte said the assault did not signal seriousness about peace and urged Nato members to draw from their stockpiles to help Ukraine defend its skies.
