Russia ends 'week-long pause' with major attack on Ukraine energy sites

The attack - which reportedly consisted of more than 70 missiles and 450 drones - comes after a so-called "energy truce" expired at the weekend.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessWorld of BusinessTechnology of BusinessNYSE Opening BellTechnologyWatch DocumentariesArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindHealthWatch DocumentariesCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesScienceNatural WondersClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroDiscover the WorldLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveRussia ends 'week-long pause' with major attack on Ukraine energy sites29 minutes agoShareSaveSarah RainsfordEastern and Southern Europe correspondent in KyivShareSaveAFP via Getty ImagesKyiv residents shelter at a train station during Russian air raidsRussia has launched its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine in some time, targeting power plants and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and many other locations.

The strikes were launched as temperatures dropped below minus 20C (-4F) overnight and have left more than 1,000 tower blocks in the capital without heating once again and damaged a power plant in the eastern city of Kharkiv beyond repair.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was "choosing terror and escalation" rather than diplomacy to end this war and called for "maximum pressure" on Moscow from Ukraine's allie.

The attack comes after a so-called "energy truce" agreed by Donald Trump with Vladimir Putin expired at the weekend.

It also came on the day Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte was in Kyiv to meet President Zelensky and to address the national parliament.

Donald Trump's initiative was meant to give diplomacy a chance. Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine are due to meet in Abu Dhabi for another round of talks co-ordinated by the US later this week.

And in fact, there is always a gap between Russia's massive strikes which makes Ukrainians doubt there was ever any real pause at all.

We heard the first explosions in Kyiv soon after midnight and the air raid lasted more than seven hours. There were several subsequent blasts.

Residents spent the night sheltering in metro stations, with some pitching tents on the platforms to protect them from the freezing cold.

President Zelensky has said more than 70 ballistic and cruise missiles were fired - significantly more than usual - together with 450 drones which are used to overwhelm Ukraine's air defences.

Ukraine's Air Force said it had intercepted only 38 of the missiles, which means many reached their target.

Officials here have complained repeatedly of a shortage of missiles to protect the skies. Ukraine relies on US-made Patriot missiles, in particular.

"Timely delivery of missiles for air defense systems and the protection of normal life are our pr

Source: BBC

Post a Comment

0 Comments