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Russia has carried out extensive aerial attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, deploying numerous cruise missiles and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy referred to this assault as an "act of terror."
Western and southwestern Ukraine seemed to suffer the most from the assault.
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The regional governor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Svitlana Onyshchuk, announced that important infrastructure facilities were damaged in the Transcarpathian area.
Onyshchuk reported that the assault on the area was the most significant since the conflict began.
The western area of Ternopil mentioned experiencing "adverse effects" from the Russian attacks, though specifics were not provided. Meanwhile, in the Lviv region, also located in the west, regional Governor Maksym Kozytskiy reported on Telegram that Russia targeted energy infrastructure.
There were several explosions heard in the southern city of Odesa, and local officials in Kyiv announced that air defense systems were in use on December 13.
There were also reports of blasts occurring in the Cherkasy, Khmelnytskiy, and Kharkiv areas.
Zelenskiy stated that the assault demonstrated that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, cannot be deterred by mere words.
Zelenskiy stated that early reports indicate 93 missiles were fired, with at least one coming from North Korea, and that 81 of these missiles were intercepted. He also mentioned that around 200 drones were used in the assault.
Ukrenerho, the operator of Ukraine's national power grid, previously announced that the attacks led to limitations on electricity usage across the nation.
On December 13, Zelenskiy mentioned that Russia tried to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense systems during the extensive assault.
"This time, they intentionally chose to launch their attacks during freezing temperatures, seeking to make things even more difficult for the populace," he stated, noting that every missile targeted energy facilities.
In a previous update on X, Zelenskiy claimed that Putin is instilling fear in millions of individuals.
"He isn't restrained when it comes to long-distance abilities or in obtaining the essential parts to create missiles. The revenue from oil provides Putin with a false sense of security. The international community must respond decisively: a significant assault should trigger an equally significant response. This is the only effective way to put an end to terror."
Zelenskiy spoke out as news surfaced about his upcoming participation in a meeting with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and representatives from NATO and the European Union in Brussels on December 18. The focus of the gathering will be to talk about ways to support Ukraine.
The gathering will be led by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and is scheduled for the same day that leaders are expected to convene for a summit between the EU and the Western Balkans.
Russia has been increasing its assaults throughout Ukraine and has been making gradual yet consistent progress in the eastern region over the past few weeks.
The escalation of conflict occurs as both parties aim to solidify their standing in light of indications that a cease-fire and peace negotiations might happen in the near future.
Zelenskiy stated that merely talking won't deter Putin; what is truly necessary to achieve peace is strength. This strength must be confident enough to face and put an end to wrongdoing.
Russia's Defense Ministry announced via Telegram that the recent attacks were a response to a Ukrainian assault on an airbase in southwestern Russia, which utilized long-range missiles provided by the United States.
The ministry reported that on December 11, 2024, six American ATACMS tactical missiles were fired from Ukraine, targeting a military airfield close to the city of Taganrog.
"In reaction to the deployment of U.S. long-range weapons, Russia carried out a substantial attack using precise, long-range air and sea weaponry, as well as drones, targeting key components of Ukraine's fuel and energy infrastructure," the announcement indicated, noting that "all targets were successfully achieved."
On December 12, Rutte stated that the Russian president aims to eliminate Ukraine entirely and may target other areas in Europe afterwards.
Rutte stated that Putin "is attempting to undermine our freedoms and way of life," emphasizing that "we need to adopt a wartime mentality."
"How many more warnings do we need? This is something we should take very seriously. I certainly do," he stated. "Russia is gearing up for a prolonged standoff, both with Ukraine and with us."
The extent of the destruction caused by the attacks on December 13 was not immediately clear.
"The energy sector in Ukraine has faced another significant assault. Energy experts are doing everything possible to reduce the impact on the nation’s energy infrastructure," Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko posted on Facebook.
In line with Zelenskiy's remarks, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urged Kyiv's partners to quickly supply additional air defense systems to help combat the Russian assaults.
"Russia is trying to cut off our energy supplies. In response, we need to take away its ability to spread terror. I want to emphasize the urgent need for 20 air defense systems like NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T to be delivered," Sybiha stated.
On November 28, a significant Russian strike targeted Ukraine's energy system, leading to extensive damage and power shortages.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has consistently focused on attacking Ukraine's civilian and energy facilities. As winter approaches, these assaults have intensified, leading to significant hardships and prolonged power outages for the people of Ukraine for the third consecutive winter.
As reported by Ukraine's Energy Ministry, since October 2022, Russia has conducted over 1,000 attacks on energy infrastructure.
This year, Ukraine's energy infrastructure has endured 11 attacks from Russia.
According to the ministry, strikes in 2024 have led to the loss of 9 gigawatts (GW) of energy production capacity. To put that into perspective, 1 GW is sufficient to supply electricity to a medium-sized city.
