In the early hours of Friday, November 14, Russia launched a massive drone and missile assault on Ukraine, deploying 430 drones and 18 missiles in one of the largest attacks on Kyiv to date. The strikes targeted energy facilities, apartment blocks and key infrastructure, leaving a trail of destruction and civilian casualties.
Ukrainian officials reported that, despite shooting down the majority of the incoming threats, debris and fires caused by downed drones damaged high-rise apartments, a school, a medical center and administrative buildings across nine districts in the capital of 3 million. Six people were killed in Kyiv, and two more died in the Black Sea port city of Chornomorsk, regional authorities said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and called for stronger international measures, saying, "Only pressure – with sanctions and strength – can force Russia to end this war, a war that no one but them ever needed." He added that Ukraine would respond with long-range strikes to protect its people and infrastructure.
At least 34 people were injured in Kyiv, including two children. Partial power cuts were imposed in central Kyiv, the southern Odesa region and the eastern Donetsk region as the national energy grid struggled to cope. Outside the capital, the governor of Kyiv region reported six injuries – one a seven-year-old – while Chornomorsk's local authorities said ten people were hurt when drones struck one of the city's markets.
The Russian Defense Ministry defended the attack as a response to Ukrainian operations, claiming its forces hit energy facilities and weapons-production complexes with high-precision weapons. Meanwhile, Kyiv has intensified its own drone campaign against deep Russian targets, aiming to disrupt oil refineries, depots and pipelines that fund Moscow's military efforts.
Two industry sources revealed that Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk suspended oil exports on Friday following a Ukrainian drone strike, highlighting the growing impact on energy supply chains in the region.
As Ukraine endures renewed assault and steps up its counterstrikes, analysts warn that the conflict's ripple effects could reshape energy markets and security dynamics across Europe and beyond. For globally minded citizens, tech entrepreneurs and changemakers, understanding these developments is crucial to navigating a world where energy resilience and digital warfare intersect.
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Eight killed, energy sites damaged in Russian strikes on Ukraine
cgtn.com
