KYIV, Ukraine: Russia struck Ukrainian businesses, energy facilities and transport infrastructure in a sweeping missile and drone barrage that stretched into Thursday morning, as Moscow appeared to intensify efforts to weaken the country’s economy and exhaust its increasingly strained air defenses.
The attack hit cities across Ukraine, damaging civilian areas and killing at least two people, Ukrainian officials said.
Explosions echoed around Kyiv through the morning as Russia unleashed missiles and drones in an onslaught that Ukrainian officials said reflected Moscow’s strategy of building up weapons stocks before launching major barrages designed to overwhelm defenses through sheer weight of numbers.
Ukraine is desperately short of US-made Patriot air defense missiles that can counter Russia’s ballistic missiles, and Moscow’s fast-flying jet-powered drones have brought another challenge since the Russian military’s full-scale invasion began 4½ years ago.
In response, Ukraine has hit high-profile targets on Russian soil as the countries inflict mutual destruction.
