Russia launches large-scale missile and drone attacks across Ukraine... 6 dead (Comprehensive)

81 Missiles and 8 Suicide Drones Launched at 10 Areas Including Kyiv

On the 9th (local time), Russia launched a large-scale airstrike on various parts of Ukraine with nearly 90 missiles and suicide drones. Amid fierce battles in Bakhmut, a major frontline area, the strike is interpreted as a strategy to break morale through attacks on rear areas of Ukraine. Russia stated that the airstrike was a retaliatory attack for the skirmishes that occurred last week in Bryansk Oblast, mainland Russia, near the Ukrainian border.

On the 9th (local time), a photo taken in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine shows flames emitted from a missile launched by the Russian military in the Belgorod region of Russia.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to foreign media including the Associated Press, the main targets of this airstrike were energy infrastructure facilities in 10 regions, including the capital Kyiv, Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv, and the Black Sea port city Odesa.

The Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 81 missiles, including six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and eight suicide drones on that day. Ukraine's air defense intercepted 34 cruise missiles and four suicide drones, but the remaining missiles caused five deaths in Lviv in the west and one death in Dnipropetrovsk in the southeast.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that at least two people were injured in Kyiv and heating was cut off in 40% of the city. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said that Kharkiv city was attacked by 15 S-300 ballistic missiles, which could not be intercepted by Ukraine's air defense system.

Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said, "This was the first large-scale attack using a very diverse mix of missiles. There has never been such an attack before."

Due to damage to major energy facilities from the airstrike, power supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russia, was also cut off. Power supply is essential for the safe operation of the nuclear plant. If power is not supplied to the cooling system inside the plant, reactor overheating can cause a meltdown of the nuclear fuel rod bundles, leading to a serious accident with radioactive material leakage. Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom reported that emergency diesel generators are operating at the Zaporizhzhia plant and that diesel fuel for ten days is secured.

As a result, electricity supply is being restricted across Ukraine. The state power company Ukrenergo announced that nationwide electricity supply is being limited to prevent further damage to power facilities caused by the airstrike, and that power outages may be prolonged in three regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned, "The enemy has resorted to a pathetic tactic of launching 81 missiles to threaten Ukrainians. All they can do is terrorize civilians." He added, "This will not help them. They cannot escape responsibility for everything they have done."

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release, "On the 2nd, in response to terrorist acts organized by the Ukrainian regime in the Bryansk region, a large-scale retaliatory attack was carried out."

It added, "High-precision long-range weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, attacked Ukrainian military infrastructure, the military-industrial complex, and the energy facilities supporting them. All targets were hit, and the attack objectives were achieved."

On the 2nd, Russia announced that a Ukrainian sabotage team infiltrated the western Russian Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border, attacking civilians and causing one death and one injury.