Russia Launches One of Most Intense Attacks on Ukraine in Recent Weeks

Russia's armed forces launched one of the most intense attacks in recent weeks against Ukraine in the last few hours, using more than 400 drones and missiles of various types against several of the country's main cities. One person died and hundreds of families spent the night sheltering in metro stations, which are being used again as protection against Russian attacks. The country's second-largest city, Kharkiv, was also the target of a series of large explosions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated in the hours prior that the main obstacle to an agreement remains the territorial issue, as Russia demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas, a condition that Kyiv considers unacceptable. Russian attacks, which once again directly hit civilian population, energy infrastructure, and healthcare centers, reinforce the position of Ukraine and several Western allies that Moscow continues to use aerial terror as a tool of war. According to local authorities, a large part of the urban area was hit by the bombing, damaging energy infrastructure facilities and critical equipment, worsening supply issues in the middle of winter. The new wave of attacks occurred in a particularly sensitive diplomatic context. The offensive, mainly directed against Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv, caused at least one death and over twenty injuries, as well as significant damage to residential buildings and key energy infrastructure. According to the report from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, out of the total projectiles launched by Russia, 372 were shot down or neutralized by air defense systems. At least 14 people were injured, including a pregnant woman and a child, once again exposing the direct impact of the Russian offensive on civilians and medical services. In the north of the country, the city of Chernihiv suffered heavy damage. Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that the bombings damaged residential buildings, caused fires in apartment towers, and hit a shelter for displaced people, as well as a hospital and a maternity ward. The impacts affected residential buildings and caused partial cuts in water and heating supply in several districts.