Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning to Ukrainian decision-makers, stating that Russia may target their centers in Kyiv with its new ballistic missile, the Oreshnik. This threat came shortly after Russia launched a comprehensive strike on Ukraine’s energy grid, a response that Putin attributed to Ukraine’s continued use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cautioned that any form of “Russian blackmail” will be met with a “tough response.” This week, Ukraine utilized ATACMS and UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russian targets, following approvals from the U.S., the UK, and France. The recent Russian missile attack involved waves of drones and missiles across Ukraine, marking the second major assault of the month, and left over one million residents without power, though there were no reported fatalities.
Zelensky stated that the use of cluster munitions against civilian and energy infrastructure poses significant dangers, complicating rescue and repair efforts. The Russian strike, which employed 90 missiles and 100 drones, also highlighted the capabilities of the newly introduced Oreshnik missile, which Putin claims cannot be intercepted.
U.S. officials estimate that Russia possesses only a limited number of these experimental missiles and will require time to produce more. In his address, Zelensky accused Putin of having no genuine interest in ending the war and instead trying to pressure the U.S. into accepting Russia’s terms.
Putin additionally asserted that Russia will not allow Ukraine to acquire nuclear weapons, vowing to utilize “all means of destruction” if Ukraine were to obtain such capabilities, referencing recent discussions among unnamed Western officials about arming Ukraine with nuclear weapons before President Biden’s term ends in January.
Ukrainian cities, including Odesa, Kharkiv, and Lutsk, experienced explosions due to the attacks, while Kyiv also came under fire, although all incoming missiles were intercepted according to local authorities.
The attacks left at least 12 areas impacted, with emergency power outages now in effect across the country. Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko announced the measures to protect the grid, while regional leaders reported power cuts affecting hundreds of thousands of residents, especially in the Lviv and Kherson regions.
As temperatures drop and winter approaches, Ukrainian officials fear another wave of coordinated Russian missile strikes aimed at crippling the country’s power grid. They have indicated that Russia is stockpiling missiles for this very purpose, with previous attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure topping 190 since the invasion began.
The European Commission and the U.S. have provided up to €107 million (£89 million) in equipment aid to aid recovery efforts. With two-and-a-half harsh winters already endured since the invasion, Ukrainians are bracing for yet another challenging season.
Credit: BBC News
