On Thursday, over 80 Russian missiles, accompanied by a handful of exploding drones, bombarded residential structures and vital infrastructure throughout Ukraine, resulting in the death of six individuals and leaving hundreds of thousands without power or heating.

The most significant assault of its kind in three weeks endangered Europe’s most extensive nuclear power plant by disconnecting it from the power grid for almost half a day before being restored, the Associated Press reported.

As nuclear reactors require a continuous supply of power to operate cooling systems and prevent a meltdown, the recent power outage at the Zaporizhzhia facility once again heightened concerns of a potential nuclear disaster.

During the night, air raid sirens sounded as the attacks hit various areas of Ukraine, including the western region that is far from the front lines, the AP reported.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the assault as an attempt by Moscow to “intimidate Ukrainians again” and noted that the attack occurred while many citizens were asleep.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the missile strikes were a response to an alleged incursion into western Russia’s Bryansk region by Ukrainian saboteurs. However, Ukraine denied the accusation and expressed concern that Moscow could use the claim to justify further attacks.

Written by staff