Russia launched a massive wave of missiles and drones at Ukraine on Wednesday, focusing on critical energy infrastructure in the western regions amid freezing winter conditions. The strikes included attacks on gas facilities, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemning the renewed offensive as an assault on civilian life.
Russian forces fired more than 40 missiles during the morning attack and deployed over 70 drones overnight, according to Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 30 missiles and 47 drones, with another 27 drones redirected using electronic countermeasures.
“Another massive Russian attack. It’s the middle of winter, and their target remains unchanged: our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said in a post on social media platform X. “Among their objectives were gas and energy facilities that sustain normal life for our people.”
The capital Kyiv also faced significant attacks, forcing hundreds of residents to seek refuge in underground metro stations. Families and their pets took shelter on yoga mats and folding chairs as air raid sirens blared across the city.
In western Ukraine’s Lviv region, the governor confirmed that energy facilities in Drohobych and Stryi districts were damaged. In nearby Ivano-Frankivsk, air defenses were actively repelling Russian strikes. Gas infrastructure facilities in the Kharkiv region were also targeted.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its forces successfully struck all designated energy targets.
Despite the attacks, Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz reported no disruptions to gas supplies. “Gas supplies to the population remain uninterrupted,” the company said, adding that Ukraine relies on stored gas reserves accumulated during the summer months.
Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities, located primarily in the west, play a crucial role in meeting winter energy demands, particularly after Kyiv declined to extend a gas transit agreement with Russia.
Since March 2024, Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, knocking out half of the country’s power-generating capacity. The attacks have caused widespread blackouts, prompting residents and businesses to invest in alternative energy sources like solar panels, batteries, and generators.
Zelenskyy, who is meeting Western allies in Poland, renewed his call for additional air defense systems. “We need stronger air defenses to secure Ukraine’s energy and infrastructure. Discussions on production licenses for such systems must become a reality,” he said.
