Russia launches 'massive' drone and missile attack on Ukraine
Anti-aircraft sirens have been wailing throughout much of Ukraine this morning in the "biggest attack" since the start of the Russian invasion. Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said that a "record number of S-300 missiles" had been "fired" at regions such as Zaporiyia in the southeast and Kharkov in the northwest.
Ukrainian forces have counted more than 70 Russian cruise missiles, of which 61 have been shot down. According to Kiev, Russia reportedly used eight Tu-95MS strategic bombers and fired X-101 and X-555 missiles from the Caspian Sea and the Russian city of Volgodonsk. Russian troops also launched Kalibr missiles from warships in the Black Sea, according to the latest update from the Ukrainian air force.
Air alert again announced in all oblasts of Ukraine pic.twitter.com/l9ntkEQUwD
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 10, 2023
This "massive" attack comes just two weeks before the one-year anniversary of the start of the war and shortly after the West announced new weaponry for Ukraine, including battle tanks. As a result of this new drone and missile attack, at least four thermal power plants have been damaged, according to Ukrainian media reports.
"Russia cannot accept the failures and therefore continues to terrorise the Ukrainian population," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said via Telegram. Shmyhal says the attack is "another attempt" to destroy the Ukrainian energy system and deprive Ukrainians of electricity, heating and water.
Second country wide air raid this morning. This time caused by Russian strategic fighters taking off into the air in Belarus. Help Ukraine stop this. pic.twitter.com/XhVkeTbCNS
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) February 10, 2023
Ukraine's presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, has once again urged allies to send long-range missiles and fighter jets to Kiev, "or else the genocide will not be stopped". After the coveted battle tanks, Ukrainian authorities are now pressing the West to supply fighter jets, something that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak does not rule out. "All options are on the table," Sunak said during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to London.
RF has been striking at ?? cities all night & morning. RF’s intention is the same: mass destruction & killing. Enough talk & political hesitation. Only fast key decisions: long-range missiles, fighter jets, operational supplies logistics for ??. Or else genocide can’t be stopped.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) February 10, 2023
Following his trip to the UK, Zelensky met in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Finally, he concluded his European tour in Brussels, where he gave a speech at the European Parliament in which he stressed the need for "peace and security" on the continent, something that will not be possible "without defeating that anti-European force that is trying to steal our future".
Термінатор по-українськи від Нацгвардії та 92 бригади ⚔️
— НГУ (@ng_ukraine) February 10, 2023
Дрон гине, виконавши поставлене завдання.
Після точного влучання з безпілотника у танк, здетонував боєкомплект, уламки уразили дрон. pic.twitter.com/la2P2WqaIT
The Russian attacks, in addition to affecting the entire Ukrainian territory, have reached the airspace of Moldova and Romania, according to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Chisinau has confirmed this and has summoned the Russian ambassador, as it did last October over a similar incident. The Moldovan government has "strongly condemned the violation of airspace", demanding that Moscow "stop the military aggression" against Ukraine.
According Ukrainian Command-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi Russia has fired Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea which crossed Moldovan and Romanian airspace.#Romania #Moldova #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0AlMznZNhl
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) February 10, 2023
Bucharest, for its part, said that these reports "are not confirmed". Romania's Defence Ministry has denied that a Russian missile has entered Romanian airspace, although it does acknowledge that the air surveillance system detected a target launched from the Black Sea. "The closest the trajectory of the target came to Romanian airspace was registered by radar approximately 35 km northeast of the border," the Romanian ministry said in a statement.
