By Olena Harmash and Dan Peleschuk
(Reuters) – Russia launched a new barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine on Wednesday, targeting gas infrastructure and other energy facilities in western regions in its latest strike against the country’s broken electricity system, as the middle of winter approaches.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian forces launched more than 40 missiles in the morning attack and used more than 70 drones overnight. Ukrainian air defenses shot down at least 30 missiles, he said.
“Another massive Russian attack. We are in the middle of winter and the Russians’ target remains unchanged: our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskiy said in a social media post on the X platform.
“Among their objectives were gas and energy facilities that allow our population to live normally.”
The capital kyiv was also attacked, with hundreds of residents sheltering in the capital’s underground metro stations, sleeping on yoga mats and sitting on folded chairs with their pets.
The governor of Ukraine’s western Lviv region said two energy facilities, located in Drohobych and Stryi districts, were damaged. In nearby Ivano-Frankivsk, the governor said air defenses were repelling Russian attacks on facilities.
Both said no injuries were reported.
Ukrainians mainly use it to heat their homes and cook. The country uses gas stored during the summer months for use in winter, when daily production does not cover consumption.
Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities are located in the western part of the country, notably in the Stryi region. Their role has increased since kyiv refused to extend a gas transit agreement with Russia.
Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine’s power sector and other energy infrastructure since March 2024, destroying half of available generating capacity and causing long, continuous power outages across the country.
Ukrainian cities, businesses and residents have rushed to install new production capacity, including solar panels, batteries, generators and other equipment, to increase their energy independence and survive the critical cold months .
Zelenskiy, who visits neighboring Poland on Wednesday, reiterated his calls for kyiv’s Western allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.
“We also discussed licenses for the production of air defense systems and missiles for these systems, which could be one of the effective guarantees of security for Ukraine. This is both realistic and necessary to put implemented.”
