Russia strikes heating plants in three cities, leaving hundreds of thousands in subzero cold
Russian missiles struck combined heat and power plants providing district heating in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro during a massive overnight attack into Tuesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without heating in freezing temperatures, Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Eight regions came under fire in what the official called another Russian crime against humanity and an attempt at winter genocide.
Various ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones hit high-rise buildings and heating plants operating solely to warm residential districts in those three cities.
“These were not military targets. They were purely civilian. Hundreds of thousands of families, including children, were deliberately left without heating during the harshest winter conditions, with temperatures dropping to −25 °C,” said Shmyhal.
Updated at 9:24 a.m. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that during the strike "specifically on energy facilities," the Russians used a significant amount of ballistic missiles in combination with other missiles: a total of more than 70 missiles and 450 attack drones.
Russia launched the widespread assault overnight into Tuesday using various drones and missiles.
In Kyiv, multiple districts reported damage to apartment buildings and other structures, with five casualties.
Kharkiv was also hit. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported missile attacks, including ballistic missiles. During the hours of the attack, strikes were carried out "specifically targeting energy infrastructure."
Attacks also hit the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy and Vinnytsia oblasts.