Russia launched a massive missile attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions on Saturday, November 7, just three days before the planned peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi. At least nine people, including a child, were injured in the strikes, while significant parts of the Ukrainian capital were left with disruptions to electricity, heating and water supplies, Reuters and the Associated Press report.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian forces used 36 ballistic missiles and 172 unmanned aerial vehicles in attacks on Kyiv and 12 other regions of the country. Energy facilities, residential buildings and transport infrastructure were damaged. Among the affected sites was Kyiv’s Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River, which was temporarily closed to traffic.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the situation with the electricity supply as extremely serious. According to him, the attacks on energy facilities in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions affected the city’s heating and water supply systems. Ukrainian authorities also reported damage to substations connected to the power grid.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the strikes, saying that the targets were facilities of Ukraine’s military industry, as well as energy and transport infrastructure. Moscow claims that the Northern Bridge was used to transport weapons and military equipment, and that one of the targets was a facility producing “Flamingo” cruise missiles. These claims have not been independently verified.
Zelensky accused Russia of trying to leave Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities without electricity on the eve of winter. He called on the United States to step up its support for Ukraine and increase sanctions pressure on Moscow.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the Russian strike on a humanitarian aid center in the settlement of Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, has reached 55 after rescue teams found nine more bodies. Dozens of people are still being searched for under the rubble.
The latest escalation comes ahead of the talks scheduled for November 10 in Abu Dhabi, involving representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. The main contentious issues are expected to once again be territorial claims and security guarantees, on which the parties have so far failed to reach an agreement.