Russia launches massive drone attack on Ukrainian infrastructure; US imposes new sanctions on Moscow
A Ukrainian soldier loading artillery shells into an artillery vehicle on October 28, 2023.
Diego Herrera Carcédo | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Russia launched a massive drone attack early Friday morning, hitting critical infrastructure in parts of southern and western Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The Air Force said on Telegram it shot down 24 “Shahed” drones out of “four dozen” launched from Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, while a Kh-59 guided aerial missile was also launched from occupied Kherson .
Drone strikes hit civilian targets in and around Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, early Friday morning, according to Ukrainian officials.
Oleh Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional state administration, wrote on Telegram The attacks damaged civilian infrastructure shortly after midnight in the northeastern city as well as a neighboring village, according to a Google translation. He also shared video and images of a fire that broke out in the city of Kharkiv and said eight residents received medical treatment at the scene, but no one was injured.
The US government imposed drastic new sanctions on Moscow on Thursday following its invasion of Ukraine. almost 100 new measures targeting energy production, mining and defense. It also included new measures aimed at tackling sanctions evasion in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and China.
“Russia depends on willing third-country individuals and entities to resupply its military and perpetuate its heinous war against Ukraine and we will not hesitate to hold them accountable,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the communicated.
In a Twitter message accompanied by a video Thursday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had “no doubt about Ukraine’s victory.”
