Russia Strikes With Long-Range Air And Sea-Based Weapons On Ukraine’s Key Infrastructure

Russian cruise missiles battered several Ukrainian cities on Monday as missile drone strikes hit water and power supply facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other areas. Moscow said the missile strikes were in retaliation for the Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

According to AP News, key infrastructures in Ukraine took massive damage at its power plants forcing electricity cuts and water supply stoppage. As the war pushes into its ninth month, the Russian military continues to intensify its attacks on Ukraine in a bid to cripple its defenses. Kyiv region Gov. Oleksii Kuleba commented on the strikes and said, “The Kremlin is taking revenge for military failures on peaceful people who are left without electricity and heat before the winter.”

Vladimir Putin confirmed the missile strikes saying these were meant as payback for what he cited as the unsuccessful aerial and underwater drone attack by Ukraine on Russia’s Sevastopol-based Black Sea Fleet in the Crimea Peninsula. The Russian leader claimed the drones traversed an internationally agreed zone that was meant to keep ships exporting grain from Ukrainian ports out of harm's way yet still manage to hit its targets.

During a press conference in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Putin remarked that the strikes were part of their intensified operations against Ukraine but stressed it was not all they could have done. The missile strikes came from long-range high-precision air-and-sea-base weapons made to take down Ukraine’s military command outposts and energy systems. Russia’s Defense Ministry said all their target goals were hit.

As the missiles bombarded Ukraine, 12 ships containing grain managed to leave Ukrainian ports on Monday despite the Russian blockade in its effort to threaten reliant countries with hunger. The grain transport made its way through the security corridor as the Black Sea initiative was suspended by Russia. The total damage Ukraine incurred through the missile strikes included 18 sites that were mostly energy and power supply facilities in 10 regions.

On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the majority of the drone missile strikes from Russia were shot down by Ukraine’s air defenses. Out of 55 cruise missiles that were fired, 45 were taken down.