Russia Unleashes One Of 'Largest’ Nationwide Aerial Attacks Of War

Russia has once again launched large-scale drone and missile attacks targeting energy sites across Ukraine, including in the capital of Kiev, resulting in three civilian deaths, emergency authorities said.

A total of 15 of Ukraine’s 24 oblasts came under the early morning attack, including by cruise missiles and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, according to the country’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

„To stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the locations from where Russian missiles are launched,” Shmyhal said on Telegram. „Ukraine needs long-range weapons and permission from our partners to use them against Russian targets.”

„The enemy used various types of weapons: drones, cruise missiles, and Kinzhals [supersonic missiles]. There are wounded and dead,” Shmyhal described.

President Zelensky wrote on X: „The energy sector has sustained significant damage, but in every area affected by power outages, restoration work is already in progress.” He further confirmed that these country-wide air attacks were among the „largest” witnessed since the war’s start.

Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko announced a country-wide state of emergency in the aftermath, warning of major emergency power disruptions, and in at last two regions this impacted the water supply. He said Russia is „terrorizing” Ukraine by continually going after its critical infrastructure. Significant power outages were reported as far West as Lviv.

Video: aftermath of attack on Kyiv hydro power plant…

Russian Nazis have hit Kyiv hydro power plant dam today. Kyiv dam holds 3,7 billions tons of water, and is located upstreams from Kyiv, so a breach of Kyiv dam would kill thousands of civilians in Kyiv and nearby towns. Russia must be stopped by force. Now. pic.twitter.com/QPfqchIXF8

— Sergej Sumlenny, LL.M (@sumlenny) August 26, 2024

Russia’s Defense Ministry later announced it had hit „all designated targets” with a statement describing, „This morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a large-scale strike using long-range precision weapons from air and sea, as well as combat drones, targeting critical energy infrastructure that supports Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine also sent more drones toward Russia, resulting in injuries. At least four people were wounded in Saratov when drones smashed into residential buildings.

A high-rise in Saratov city was hit, and another building in Engels was damaged, local officials said. Dramatic footage captured the moment the Saratov skyscraper was attacked:

BREAKING: Watch the moment a drone crashes into the 38-story Volga Sky residential complex, the tallest building in the city

#Saratov | #Russia#Ukraine #Russia #drone #droneattack

: MASH pic.twitter.com/op17BFrqc0

— DISASTER TRACKER (@DisasterTrackHQ) August 26, 2024

This fresh major Ukraine-wide aerial operation by Russia appears to be ongoing retaliation for the Kursk incursion. Western sources have claimed Ukraine forces have captured more territory in Kursk, including over 200 Russian troops taken as POWs.

President Zelensky is on Monday urging that the West do more: „In our various regions of Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbors worked together with our F-16s and together with our air defense,” he said. He is at this point essentially calling on NATO to join the war directly on Kiev’s behalf.