Russia unleashed a large-scale aerial bombardment on Ukraine early Friday, targeting critical energy and transportation infrastructure in what Moscow described as retaliation for Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles on a Russian air base earlier this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the assault one of the heaviest since the war began nearly three years ago.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia fired 93 missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles, along with nearly 200 drones. Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted 81 missiles, aided by F-16 fighter jets provided by Western allies earlier this year. Despite these efforts, significant damage was reported to thermal power plants and key infrastructure.
Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, describing them as acts of terror aimed at breaking the will of Ukrainian civilians and disrupting military production. “A massive reaction from the world is needed to stop this terror,” he stated, reiterating his call for stronger international unity against Russian aggression.
The Russian Defense Ministry justified the strikes as targeting “critically important fuel and energy facilities” that support Ukraine’s military-industrial operations. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko confirmed severe damage but assured that workers were striving to minimize the impact on the energy system.
The attacks come amid growing uncertainty about U.S. support for Ukraine. President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office next month, has voiced opposition to Ukraine using U.S.-provided weapons to strike Russian territory. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed Trump’s stance, claiming it aligns with Moscow’s view that such actions escalate the conflict.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv confirmed that Friday’s strikes also targeted transport networks. Russia has increasingly employed “swarm” tactics, launching waves of drones and missiles to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. Ukrainian officials warned that Russia is stockpiling munitions, including hypersonic ballistic missiles, for future attacks.
Roughly half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed since the war began, leading to widespread and recurring power outages. While Western allies have supplied advanced air defense systems, Russian forces have maintained the offensive, steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine through slow but methodical offensives.
With energy supplies and civilian morale under siege, Ukraine continues to call for increased support from Western nations as Russia intensifies its campaign.
