On August 26, 2024, Russia launched a massive combined attack on Ukraine, employing over 200 rockets and drones, primarily targeting energy infrastructure across 15 regions. The assault, which began in the early morning hours, resulted in at least five confirmed deaths and dozens of injuries.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the assault as ‘one of the largest combined attacks’ on Ukraine, emphasizing that it primarily targeted critical civilian infrastructure. ‘This was one of the biggest united attacks. Over 100 missiles and approximately 100 ‘Shahed’ drones of various types. Like previous Russian attacks, this was a sneaky attack targeting critical civilian infrastructure,’ Zelensky stated.The attack led to widespread power outages and disruptions to water supplies across the country, including in major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odessa. A significant target was the Kiev Hydroelectric Power Plant, where substantial damage was reported. Ukrainian energy companies implemented emergency power cuts in response to the extensive damage.The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that all assigned targets were hit, including power substations in multiple regions and gas compression stations. They also reported striking storage sites for Western-supplied arms.In response to the attack, Ukrainian officials have called for international action. Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga stated, ‘We need global action: we need the right to conduct long-range strikes and enhanced air defense’. President Zelensky echoed this sentiment, urging Western allies to provide more support and remove limits on the use of long-range weapons to hit military targets inside Russia.This escalation marks one of the most severe air raids in the ongoing conflict, raising concerns about further intensification of hostilities. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with neighboring countries like Poland raising air alerts and mobilizing air defenses in response to the increased military activity.
Key points
- Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine with over 200 rockets and drones, targeting energy infrastructure.
- The attack resulted in at least five deaths and widespread power outages across Ukraine.
- Ukrainian officials are calling for international support and the right to conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets.
Contradictions👾While Ukrainian sources report significant civilian infrastructure damage and casualties, Russian sources claim to have only targeted military-related facilities.
