Russia launches 'largest-scale' offensive in Ukraine war

Several areas reported power and water outages, including some in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said the attack targeted the power grid and other critical infrastructure across the country.

Russia stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's power grid in March 2024, and Kyiv said it was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the grid ahead of the winter of 2024 when people need electricity and heating the most.

Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschuk said on Telegram that the Ukrainian air force shot down 102 out of 127 missiles and 99 out of 109 drones launched from Russia, describing the air, ground and sea offensive as the "largest-scale offensive operation" of the entire war so far.

According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, 15 regions in Ukraine have been affected by the operation. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said there had been "huge damage in the energy sector".

Mr Zelenskiy said he had discussed with senior commanders under him the response from Ukraine: "We are prepared."

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces used high-precision weapons to target key energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, claiming they served Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. The ministry listed the targets as transformer stations, gas compressor stations and weapons storage sites for fighter jets.

The missile and drone attack comes as Ukraine scores new victories in its cross-border offensive in Kursk, western Russia, and Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Ukraine, getting closer to the Pokrovsk transit station.

After meeting with senior officials, Mr Zelenskiy said a decision had been made to “further strengthen” the Pokrovsk front, an area that saw 56 battles on Monday, according to the Ukrainian military.

Polish airspace

Poland said it had launched a search after discovering an "object" that had flown into its airspace and may have crashed on Polish territory.

"It is most likely a drone and we assume so, because the flight path and speed indicate that it is definitely not a missile," said Jacek Goryszewski, spokesman for the Polish military's operational command.

Ukraine's air force commander says two Russian drones have flown into Belarus.

Senior Kyiv officials have once again urged allies and countries to provide weapons that would allow their forces to strike long-range into Russian territory.

Photo: REUTERS/Vladyslav Musiienko.

Mr Zelenskiy has also called on allies to help shoot down missiles and drones in Ukrainian airspace.

Ukraine did not have powerful long-range weapons in the early stages of the war, but has since developed several models of long-range drones and used them to strike deep inside Russian territory, targeting targets such as oil refineries and military airfields.

Over the weekend, Mr. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had developed a new type of “drone” to be used in attacks against Russia with greater speed and destructive power than similar weapons in Kyiv’s arsenal.

Damaged facilities

At least 47 people were injured, including four children, the emergency services said.

Regions reporting airstrikes targeting power grids or other critical infrastructure include Volyn and Rivne in the northwest, Khmelnytskyi, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk in the west, Zhytomyr in the north, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia in the southeast and Odesa in the south.

Zelenskiy said several civilian facilities were attacked with cluster bombs.

In Moldova, a country that shares a power grid with Ukraine, several areas reported minor disruptions to the national grid.

A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official said a hydroelectric power plant in the Kyiv region had been attacked. A video posted on social media, verified by Reuters, showed a damaged dam and a fire after a power plant was hit. Another video, which has also been verified, showed a missile impacting a reservoir.

In the Sumy region, in the northeast where Ukraine launched an operation into Russian territory on August 6, local authorities said a railway infrastructure agency was attacked, but did not provide further information.

A 69-year-old man in the Dnipropetrovsk region and a farmer in the Zaporizhzhia region were among the seven people confirmed dead. Others died in Kharkiv, Zhytomyr and Volyn.

In Lutsk, the mayor said there were several explosions and an apartment building was damaged.

Explosions also shook central Kyiv and air defense systems shot down several targets in the suburbs.

The Ukrainian Air Force said at least 11 TU-95 strategic bombers were used in the attack.

Russia and Ukraine have both denied allegations that they deliberately targeted civilians. Both sides insist that they only targeted infrastructure that was essential to the enemy's military campaign.

Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/nga-to-chuc-chien-dich-tan-cong-quy-mo-lon-nhat-204240827091356562.htm