The latest Russian strikes on Ukraine were the largest attack of their kind in recent weeks, involving more than 80 rockets and exploding drones.
Most of the power supply has been restored in Kyiv, officials said on Friday, March 10. The country once again responded promptly and decisively to a new series of Russian strikes on critical infrastructure.
Since last fall, Russian troops have shifted to long-range strikes against Ukraine amid a months-long stalemate on the front lines in the eastern regions. The obvious goal is to weaken Ukraine’s resolve and force the government in Kyiv to enter into peace talks on Moscow’s terms.
The Washington Institute for War Research said in its assessment that “these strikes will not undermine the will of Ukraine and will not improve Russia’s position on the front line.”
Ukrainian military analyst Oleg Zhdanov believes that Russia is attacking civilian infrastructure because its troops cannot effectively hit Ukrainian military installations.
“The Russians have no knowledge of the location of Ukrainian troops and weapons, so they are targeting civilian infrastructure and using the same old methods of attacking civilians to instill fear and panic in the public,” Zhdanov said. “Ukraine survived the winter, and Russian strikes on the power grid in the spring hardly make sense.”
Power supply and water supply have been restored in Kyiv, the head of the city military administration, Serhiy Popko, said, noting that about 30 percent of consumers in the capital still remain without heating.
The supply of electricity has been restored to more than 90 percent of consumers in the Kharkiv region, local authorities said. In the Zaporozhye region, power supply was restored to a third of consumers.
The Russian strikes were the largest such attack in three weeks, using more than 80 rockets and exploding drones.
As a result of the shelling, residential buildings were damaged, six people were killed, and hundreds of thousands were left without heat and water. The strikes were notable for the wide range of weapons used by the Kremlin forces, including the Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes were in response to a recent invasion of the Bryansk region by what Moscow called “Ukrainian saboteurs.”
Ukrainian authorities have dismissed these claims and have warned that the Kremlin may be making such claims to justify stepping up its own attacks.