A heavy overnight barrage of missiles and drones hit Kiev and other Ukrainian cities late Thursday and into Friday, setting fires in residential areas, damaging energy facilities and causing rolling blackouts.
Authorities reported five people were killed and more than 34 injured in the intense air raids, and Kyiv’s mayor said the attack was one of the largest in recent times.
Russian news outlets reported the attack as a response to Ukrainian attacks on logistics and energy facilities in Russia, and reported that a number of Ukrainian drones had been intercepted. Kiev disputes these figures, but confirmed reciprocal long-range attacks on Russian refineries and warehouses.
On the front, an independent battlefield assessment said Thursday that Russian troops were closing in on Pokrovsk and Mirnohrad, raising the possibility of encircling Ukrainian military formations and threatening key rail hubs.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian commanders are aware that the collapse of supply lines could have strategic implications and are fighting to stop the advance.
The exchanges reflect a growing pattern, including mutual targeting of civilian infrastructure and increased use of indigenously produced long-range missiles and drones.
Millions were already enduring power outages earlier this week, and humanitarian tensions are expected to escalate further as winter approaches and diplomacy remains at a standstill.