Massive shelling destroys electricity infrastructure in six Ukrainian provinces as UK announces first refueling shipment to Kiev
After a number of times of relative calm, anti-aircraft sirens sounded all over Ukraine again yesterday. Two new waves of massive bombings by Russia destroyed several energy infrastructures, vital in the dead of winter, in several parts of the country, cutting off electricity supplies in much of the country. However, the worst for the civilian population happened in Dnipro. A rocket impact destroyed a nine-story residential building and killed at least five people. Sixty others, including six children, were hospitalized. The authorities do not rule out that more bodies appear under the rubble.
The images were gruesome. Where there used to be a building, now only a gigantic hole remains. The rubble was piled on the asphalt. “The world must stop this evil,” Ukrainian President Volodímir Zelensky denounced.
It is the Kremlin’s worst attack since December 29. The hitherto highly effective Ukrainian air defense failed to respond in time. In fact, the sirens started wailing after the first impacts. The reason is that Russia resorted to ballistic missiles instead of cruise missiles as usual, Yuri Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, stated on television. Ballistic missiles, unlike cruise missiles, do not have propulsion systems, that is, they are launched, and the inertia of the launch itself and gravity determine where they fall, while cruise missiles are self-propelled projectiles, that is, powered by a motor. “In all likelihood, they were rockets flying on a ballistic trajectory, which describes a projectile due to its own inertia and influenced by gravity,” Ignat said. “We don’t have systems available to track them down and shoot them down,” he complained.
Nevertheless, the air defense systems of the Kiev army managed to intercept 21 of the 33 shells fired by Russia. A significant number, but insufficient to prevent damage. In addition to the Dnipro tragedy, Russian missiles wreaked havoc on several vital energy supply points in Kiev, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Lviv, though there were no fatalities. However, the attacks caused massive blackouts across the country, a goal Russia is pursuing as part of its hybrid war against Ukraine. In addition to attacks on the ground or against civilians, this tactic seeks to decimate the population. And nothing is more effective than not allowing citizens to heat themselves in the middle of winter. “The next few days will be difficult,” admitted Ukraine’s energy minister, Germany’s Galushchenko.
In parallel to the massive bombing, the UK government announced yesterday that it will send Challenger 2 tanks, the most advanced in the British armed forces, to assist the Ukrainian army. This is the first shipment with these features. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also promised new artillery systems in a telephone conversation with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian leader thanked the UK on Twitter for decisions that “will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners”. Zelensky was referring to the open debate in the West about sending tanks.
Until now, priority has been given to sending armored vehicles for the transport of infantry or reconnaissance. The most reluctant country is Germany, which fears that the Kremlin will view the presence in Ukraine of the mighty German-made Leopard tanks as aggression. Berlin demands that the sending of tanks be carried out jointly, so Sunak’s passage puts pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz. A decision on this is expected to be taken on 20 December.
Source: La Verdad
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