Putin hits Ukraine with 200 missiles, drones in massive strikes amid invasion on Russian homeland

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Russia launched one of its heaviest strikes against Ukraine on Monday, firing more than 200 missiles and drones at civilian and energy targets across the country, confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskyy.

In a post to X, Zelenskyy said more than 100 varying types of missiles and another 100 Iranian-supplied Shahed drones were fired in a series of attacks, prompting the Ukrainian leader to once again call on his Western allies to drop all restrictions on long-range defensive strikes.

Zelenskyy did not confirm where the strikes were likely fired from, but he again argued that Ukraine needs to be able to better defend itself from Russia’s constant barrage of aerial attacks.

"It is crucial that our partners uphold the commitments we’ve made together, in particular regarding air defense systems, missiles for them," he said. "We must finally unite in our efforts to shoot down Russian missiles and drones."

Zelenskyy said targets were hit in Ukraine’s most western regions, including Volyn and Lviv, which neighbor Poland. Cities in Ukraine’s western-central regions were also hit in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Ternopil regions.

Two of Ukraine's most populated cities were also struck, according to images posted by Reuters, including Kyiv and Odesa.

Five people were reportedly killed and 30 others were injured, spokesperson for the State Emergency Service, Oleksandr Khorunzhy, said in a televised address, according to the Kyiv Independent.

"Across Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors operated in concert with our F-16s and air defense systems," Zelenskyy said. "If such unity has proven effective in the Middle East, it must work in Europe too.

"Life holds the same value everywhere," he added.

The Russian Ministry of Defense on Monday claimed that storage facilities housing "aviation weapons" given to Ukraine from its Western allies in the Kyiv and Dnepropetrovsk regions were also hit, though Fox News Digital could not independently verify these claims.

"All designated targets were hit, as a result, there were power outages, and rail transportation of weapons and ammunition to the line of combat contact was disrupted," the Russian ministry claimed in a post on Telegram Monday.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on allies to help Ukraine strengthen its air defense systems through F-16s, Patriot batteries and lifting restrictions on long-range strike permissions.

Last month, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs more F-16s and some 25 Patriot battery systems to adequately defend its skies.

Kyiv Russia strikes
People take cover inside a metro station during a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 26, 2024.

The U.S. along with the Netherlands, Germany, and Romania announced last month that they would send another four Patriot systems to Ukraine and Italy would send a SAMP-T system – both of which provide defense against cruise and ballistic missiles as well as combat aircraft, though the Patriot system has superior coverage at greater distances.

It is unclear how many Patriot or SAMP-T systems Ukraine currently has, but Zelenskyy said earlier this month that if allied nations lifted their long-range strike bans, Kyiv "would not need to physically enter [Russia] particularly the Kursk region to protect our Ukrainian citizens in the border communities and eliminate Russia’s potential for aggression."

Local residents embrace each other at the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024.
Local residents embrace each other at the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024.

Zelenskyy has said his Kursk operation is intended to establish a "buffer zone" to staunch Russia’s attacks against Ukraine’s northern regions.

"Putin can only act within the limits the world sets for him," Zelenskyy said Monday. "Weakness and inadequate responses fuel terror.

"America, Britain, France, and our other partners have the power to help us stop this terror. The time for decisive action is now," he added.

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Russia launches 'nightmare' deadly drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, Kyiv says

Russia launched a deadly large-scale attack across Ukraine on Monday, sending drones and cruise and ballistic missiles toward at least 15 regions, Ukrainian officials said.

The strikes were among the largest such aerial attacks since the war began in 2022, with Russia using at least 127 missiles and 109 drones in an attack that lasted over eight hours, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"And like most previous Russia strikes, this one is just as dastardly, targeting critical civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian, adding later that Russian President Vladimir Putin "can only do what the world allows him to do."

PHOTO: This photograph shows a damaged children's playground following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)
PHOTO: This photograph shows a damaged children's playground following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Critical infrastructure, the energy sector and railroads were targeted in the attack, Zelenskyy said.

"What is happening now in Kyiv is unbelievable horror. Pray for us," Kira Rudick, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, said on social media. She later added, "What happened today? Nightmare."

At least seven people were killed and at least 47 others injured as a result of the attacks across Ukraine, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service said in a post on Telegram on Monday.

Out of the 47 people injured, four of them were children, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service said.

Following the large-scale attack, additional casualties were reported late Monday night after local officials said a missile struck civilian infrastructure in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine. A woman was killed and four people injured in the strike, according to city officials, as the rescue operation was underway.

Some residents in Kyiv, the capital, took shelter in the city's subways as Russia launched its "massive" attack across the country, Olga Stefanishyna, deputy prime minister, said on social media. She included a local news video that appeared to show throngs of people standing along a train platform.

Kyiv was among the 15 areas throughout Ukraine struck in the attack, which began early in the morning and continued into the afternoon, lasting for at least 12 hours, officials said.

"Attack UAVs are attacking Kyiv from various directions right now," the Kyiv City Military Administration said, referring to uncrewed aerial vehicles, or drones.

The administration added, "Air defense soldiers have already destroyed a total of about one-and-a-half dozen enemy drones that were headed for the capital. The air alert in Kyiv has been going on for more than 6 hours."

In a statement on Monday, President Joe Biden condemned the attacks.

"I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia’s continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken," he said in his statement.

Biden said he is "surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine’s energy grid."

PHOTO: This photograph shows damaged houses on a site following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)
PHOTO: This photograph shows damaged houses on a site following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)

The strikes followed Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations on Saturday. Russia had on Saturday struck several pieces of Ukrainian infrastructure, knocking out power for many. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv was helping restore power on Sunday after Russia's "barbaric attacks," according to the U.S. State Department's official Russian social media accounts.

Russia in its Monday attack also targeted energy infrastructure in an attempt to "terrorize all of Ukraine" and to "deprive Ukrainians of electricity," the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the country's parliament, said. Engineers were working midmorning to restore power to many, the parliament said.

"The desire to destroy our energy will cost the Russians dearly -- their infrastructure," Andrii Yermak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said in Ukrainian on the messaging app Telegram on Monday.

The White House condemned Russia's massive assault, calling it a "classic play" by Vladimir Putin.

"This is a classic play out of the playbook for Vladimir Putin to go after energy infrastructure, particularly as he knows the weather's about to turn, and people are going to need heat and power a lot more as things get colder in Ukraine," National Security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters Monday afternoon.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms, Russia's continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness as the fall here sits upon us, and as winter approaches," Kirby added.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday it had carried out a "massive strike with long-range precision weapons," including some that were launched from the sea. Russian drones were sent to strike "critical energy infrastructure facilities that supported the operation of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement.

"All designated targets were hit," the ministry said.

PHOTO: Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire on a site following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)
PHOTO: Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire on a site following an air attack, in the Odesa region, on Aug. 26, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Several fatalities were reported after strikes hit homes in the Dnipropetrovsk region and an apartment block in the Lutsk city center, officials said.

Rescue services extinguished 22 fires across the country, according to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service.

After the strikes, blackouts started in multiple regions in Ukraine, including Kyiv, Volyn, Rivne, Odesa and Chernihiv, among others, according to local authorities. In the Zhytomyr region, water supply has stopped due to power outages, local media reported.

Public electric transportation operations stopped in Odesa due to power supply disruptions, local authorities said.

There were "no significant damages" at the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, which was targeted in Russia's attack, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, Ruslan Kravchenko, said.

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