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Ukraine to face tough winter as Russia sustains missile pressure, says expert

On 28 November, Russia launched another massive assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

28/11/2024

2 minute read

Fires on a combined heat and power plant in Kyiv after Russian missile strikes. Illustrative image. Photo via Wikimedia.

A fire on a combined heat and power plant in Kyiv after Russian missile strikes. Illustrative image. Photo via Wikimedia.

Ukraine to face tough winter as Russia sustains missile pressure, says expert

Dmytro Zhmailo, executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, said Russia has enough missiles for another two to three massive attacks of the same scale as the one on 28 November, according to Espresso.

Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Since October 2022, it has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with extensive missile and drone assaults, aiming to disrupt civilian life, particularly during the winter months.

Zhmailo noted that the scale of this attack resembled those that were launched on 26 August, when 127 missiles targeted Ukraine, and 17 November, when Russia fired 120 missiles at the country. Since the beginning of the summer, Russia has been stockpiling missiles for attacks during the cold season. The primary type of cruise missile it uses to strike Ukraine is the Kh-101, which Russia continues to advance and launches at critically low altitudes.

According to Zhmailo, the Russians will continue producing drones and missiles. However, he emphasized that Russia will not be able to plunge Ukraine into complete darkness. At the same time, he warned that this winter will be challenging for Ukrainians.

“The Russians will undoubtedly aim to maintain constant pressure and tension on Ukraine, ensuring frequent air raid alerts. They currently have the capacity for 2-3 more large-scale attacks and can produce several dozen Kh-series missiles, unfortunately, in the tens of units,” said the expert.

Russia is also working on producing “Shahed” drones and reportedly doubling its output ahead of schedule.

“While the winter will be difficult for Ukrainians, it’s certain that Russia will not succeed in plunging us into a total blackout,” Zhmailo concluded.

On the morning of 28 November, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine with 188 missiles and drones. The occupiers targeted energy facilities in Lutsk with missile strikes. The Ministry of Energy reported that emergency power outages were introduced across Ukraine.

Critical infrastructure was also hit in the Lviv Oblast. In Zhytomyr, the city water utility company reported that power was cut off, forcing water supply facilities to operate on generators.

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