US calls Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine ‘brutal and unwarranted’

The United States called this Thursday a “brutal and unjustified” the attacks carried out by Vladimir Putin’s Russian troops against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

It is “devastating to see these brutal and unwarranted attacks on civilian infrastructure across Ukraine,” Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton told reporters aboard Air Force One.

The attacks, which included the launch of advanced hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, left at least nine deaths, power outages and disruption of the operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Russian forces used hypersonic missiles among 81 rockets launched in Thursday’s offensive against Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed, while Ukrainian military authorities have acknowledged that their forces could not effectively stop these weapons.

Air raid sirens blared over the capital for seven hours as Ukrainian air defenses brought down drones and all manner of cruise missiles, although preliminary reports said a hypersonic missile hit its target.

“Long-range precision air, sea and land weapons, including the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system, have hit key parts of Ukraine’s military infrastructure, enterprises of the military-industrial complex, as well as energy facilities that support them. supply electricity,” the defense ministry spokesman said. Igor Konashenkov.

“Unfortunately, a Kinzhal-type missile hit an infrastructure object,” he said. Serhi Popkohead of the military authority of the Kyiv region.

Putin’s army has already used this type of missile in Ukraine. In August, he reported that they had been released three times, starting in July. “And all three times he showed brilliant features,” said the Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu.

On Thursday, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces claimed that Russia fired 81 missiles into Ukrainian territory early Thursday morning, including six Kinzhal missiles.

Valery Zaluzhny reported in Telegram the list of the arsenal used from different bases: 28 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from the air; 20 Kalibr cruise missiles from the sea; six X-22 aerial cruise missiles; six Kh-47 Kinzhal airborne cruise missiles; eight guided air missiles: 2 – Kh-31P; 6-X-59; and 13 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles.

The use of hypersonic missiles is analyzed from two angles: it can be a new demonstration of intimidation by the Kremlin or a sign of exhaustion of the most “current” rocket arsenal of the Russian forces .

A few hours after the attacks, the Ukrainian electricity operator Ukrenergo announced the reconnection with the national network of this factory occupied by the Russian forces for a year and averted the risk of a nuclear accident.

The cut had previously set off alarm bells at the UN nuclear body and the European Union.

“We’re playing with fire” warned the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The attack constitutes “a serious violation of nuclear security, committed by Russia”, declared the head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell

The interruption of the power supply forced the plant to be cooled with diesel generators, which “increased the risk of a nuclear accident” until reconnection with the electricity grid, he added.

ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenskydenounced the “miserable tactics” of Russia after the bombings, which affected ten regions of the country and kyiv, the capital, targeting energy infrastructure.

The shelling killed at least five people in the Lviv region (west), another in the Dnipro region (center-east) and three in Kherson (south), according to Ukrainian sources.

(With information from AFP)

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