Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities on Thursday and Friday, targeting once again critical infrastructure and energy grids across the country.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Moscow launched 71 cruise missiles since Thursday evening, fired by Russian TU-95 bomber planes.
According to the the Defense Ministry, 61 missiles were shot down by air defense systems, along with five of seven of the Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 explosive drones.
A separate wave of 35 anti-aircraft S-300 rockets were fired at Ukraine from the Belgorod and Zaporizhzhia regions, Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said.
Air raid sirens could be heard throughout Ukraine on Friday, and the latest wave of Russian strikes caused several casualties.
Several cities in Ukraine were struck by the attacks, including the capitol Kyiv and the western city of Lviv.
The bombardment also slammed critical infrastructure in the city of Kharkiv, injuring several people, The Associated Press reported.
Russian forces are locked in tense combat with Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine, including in the Donetsk region near the strategic city of Bakhmut.
With the first anniversary of the war approaching, analysts expect Russia to be preparing for a major new offensive designed to give Moscow the upper hand in the war.
The strikes on Thursday and Friday are part of a strategy employed by Russia since October to weaken Ukrainian’s resolve by taking out power and critical infrastructure for residents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Friday address that several of the missiles flew through the neighboring countries of Romania and Moldova.
Zelensky, who made a trip this week to Brussels and London to meet with allies and ask for more Western advanced weapons, including modern fighter jets, said the strikes were a “challenge to NATO.”
“This is terror that can and must be stopped,” the Ukrainian leader said.