In an overnight assault, Russia launched a record 188 drones aimed at 17 regions across Ukraine, marking the largest single drone attack since the invasion began. The Ukrainian air force reported that the majority of the drones were intercepted, but the relentless barrage caused significant damage to apartment buildings and critical infrastructure, including the national power grid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating that it highlighted Russia’s disregard for peace. “Nearly two hundred Russian drones in one day are nearly two hundred proofs that Russian ambitions are utterly detached from any ideas of real peace,” he said in his daily address.
The ongoing consequences of the attack are still being managed, particularly in the Ternopil region. Zelenskyy also provided updates on a deadly Russian assault on a service station in Sumy, where at least two people were killed. The attack, which involved a multiple rocket launch system, also damaged a residential building and a kindergarten. Zelenskyy emphasized that the only effective defense against such attacks would be to target and destroy Russian weaponry and launch systems on Russian soil.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s use of US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles has intensified the conflict. In an escalation of Ukrainian counterattacks, the country launched its first strike with these long-range missiles on November 19. The missiles hit Russian infrastructure, including air defense systems in the Kursk region, a Russian border area. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that five ATACMS missiles were launched on Saturday, of which only three were intercepted. The attack resulted in injuries to Russian servicemen and damage to the radar of an air defense missile system.
On Monday, Ukraine launched another round of ATACMS strikes, with seven out of eight missiles shot down, but one missile caused minor damage to a facility, injuring two Russian servicemen. The ongoing conflict continues to escalate as both sides use increasingly sophisticated weapons to target each other’s infrastructure.