Russia launches missile attack on Ukraine; Velyka Novosilka tightens grip

Russia-Ukraine war today December 25, 2024: Russia launches missile attack on Ukraine; Velyka Novosilka is squeezed as all supply routes to the city are besieged.

According to Telegram channels monitoring the war in Ukraine, the Russian military has launched a large-scale missile attack on targets on Ukrainian territory. Explosions were heard in cities.

According to the online map of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, at 6:30 a.m. on December 25, an airstrike alert was issued for the entire territory of the country. The Ukrainian Air Force and Air Defense reported missile launches from Russian strategic bombers, Caliber missiles and ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian officials reported that at least seven attacks were carried out in Kharkiv. Explosions were heard in the capital Kharkiv, Kremenchug, Dnepropetrovsk, Krivoy Rog and the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine.

Russian missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities. Photo: Getty

Energy facilities were the target of the attack.

Ukrenergo reported a power outage due to a missile attack. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that Ukraine's energy infrastructure was the target of a Russian attack. The transmission system operator is currently implementing measures to limit consumption to minimize negative consequences.

The Russian military attacked a thermal power plant in Zelenodolsk (Dnepropetrovsk region) and set the facility on fire, said the coordinator of underground operations in the Nikolaev region, Sergei Lebedev.

Retaliation from Moscow

The Russian Defense Ministry said that from December 14 to 20, the Russian military carried out 24 large-scale attacks on energy facilities, military airports and other targets.

The attack was carried out in response to the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on December 18 with ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles in the Rostov region. Russian troops attacked the buildings of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Lug Design Bureau. The attack was carried out with long-range precision weapons. In addition, the positions of the Patriot air defense missile system were also attacked.

In response to the Russian attack, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said that the difficult situation of the energy system is present. He said: "Electrical engineers, rescue workers, special forces are working 24/7. In addition, electricity imports from Europe continue."

The New York Times reported that the Ukrainian government has used “unconventional measures” to maintain the energy system damaged by the attacks. These include transporting parts of a Lithuanian thermal power plant back to the country, renting floating power plants from Türkiye, and asking UN experts to expand the presence of monitoring missions at transformer stations.

The floating power plants that Ukraine wants to lease from the Turkish company Karpowership would be installed on cargo ships in ports. They are expected to supply power to the Odessa region, transmitting energy to substations on land. However, this comes with challenges, including cost and the ability to protect the power plant from attack.

The front line is retreating towards Ukraine

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are suffering one defeat after another across the entire frontline, the Military Summary channel reported. Over the past 24 hours, the Russian military has carried out a series of successful attacks, leading to breakthroughs in several areas of the front.

After the Russians successfully took control of the village of Storozheve, the situation for the AFU worsened as the city of Velyka Novosilka was under a tightening siege.

At the same time, in the direction of Pokrovsk, Russian troops were advancing towards Dnepropetrovsk Oblast. The distance to the administrative border of the oblast was reduced to a few villages. Russian troops had basically taken control of the village of Novoolenivka and had made initial inroads into two other villages.

At the same time, another breakthrough was forming in Toretsk as the Russian attack on Shcherbynivka was formed.

In Kupyansk, frontline images suggest that the Russians may have taken full control of Zahryzove and are expanding their bridgehead further north at the Oskil River.

Velyka Novosilka was strangled

Readovka channel reported that the Russian military has placed the last AFU supply route at Velyka Novosilka under fire control.

The AFU in the area around Velyka Novosilka is under great pressure. They no longer have any routes to supply and rotate forces to the rear.

Previous counterattacks by Russian forces near the village of Novy Komar. The northern logistics route was cut off. The AFU could only rely on the western road leading to Gulyaipole.

Despite all the threats to movement along this route from Russian artillery and FPV drones, the AFU still had to use this route.

It is important to emphasize that between the Russian positions and the last AFU supply route at Velyka Novosilka there are no forests, no buildings, no hills, making any Kiev combat vehicle trying to pass through here a target for Russian firepower.

The only alternative to a paved road is to travel through the fields to the northwest of the city. However, wheeled vehicles will not be able to pass through the black soil that has become soggy from the rain. The AFU will have to rely on foot and tracked vehicles.

It is too early to say that Velyka Novosilka is "finished". The AFU will fight to find a way out.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/chien-su-nga-ukraine-hom-nay-ngay-25122024-nga-tap-kich-ten-lua-ukraine-velyka-novosilka-bi-siet-chat-366185.html