Russia conducted a coordinated air assault, launching missile strikes into Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of at least four civilians and causing significant damage to residential and commercial areas, as reported by Ukrainian authorities.

In the Khmelnytskyi region, two civilians lost their lives, and critical infrastructure was targeted. In Kryvyi Rih, a 62-year-old individual lost their life, and a shopping center, along with numerous private homes and apartments, sustained damage from nine Russian missiles. Ukrainian regional governor Serhiy Lysak expressed outrage at the attack on civilians, stating, "The mad enemy once again struck civilians" on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine's National Police reported that 38 people were wounded across the country. Russia claimed to have targeted military-industrial sites in Ukraine using high-precision, long-range weapons, including the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system.

Ukrainian authorities stated that 18 out of 51 missiles were successfully intercepted by their air defenses. The lower shoot-down rate was attributed to the challenging nature of intercepting ballistic missiles, which constituted a significant portion of the missiles fired by Russia. All eight drones launched by Russia were reportedly shot down.

The missile strikes occurred during a cold snap in Ukraine, exacerbating the situation. The mayor of Kryvyi Rih reported power outages for 15,000 residents and disruptions to local trams and trolleybuses.

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, an industrial site and educational facility were damaged following at least four missile strikes, and a 63-year-old woman was killed in a strike on a town south of Kharkiv.

Governor Yuriy Malashko of Zaporizhzhia reported that five people were wounded in the southeastern city, emphasizing that residential areas, rather than military targets, were struck.

This recent escalation marks a resumption of regular airstrikes by Russia on Ukrainian population centers, extending beyond the front lines of the nearly two-year-old full-scale invasion.

News Source: Reuters