Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, railways, and residential buildings, causing casualties and power outages—just days before the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of war.
Dozens of Russian missiles and drones struck Ukraine on the night of Saturday, February 21st at least four people were killed in the attacks, damaging power plants, railways, and residential buildings. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow for committing to attacks rather than diplomacy. He mentioned that approximately 50 missiles and 300 drones had been launched.
The Russian military said it carried out a massive strike on facilities used by the Ukrainian military in the Kiev suburb of Sofiivska Borshchahivka, but locals stated there were no military targets or significant industry nearby. The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy reported power outages in six regions in eastern and southeastern Ukraine following the attacks.
The Polish operational command announced early Sunday morning that it had scrambled aircraft after an explosion rocked a store in the centre of Lviv, a city in western Ukraine near the Polish border, in one of the attacks.
Zelensky claimed on Friday that Ukraine “will definitely not lose” the war and that victory remains the goal—and that Ukrainian forces have recaptured about 300 square kilometres of territory in recent counteroffensives. Moscow controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and continues to advance, particularly in the eastern Donbas region, despite heavy losses and Ukrainian logistical setbacks.
The current attacks on Ukraine coincide with Hungary’s announcement on Saturday that it would block the EU’s latest package of sanctions against Russia until Ukraine reopens the crucial Druzhba oil pipeline, which was damaged by Russian attacks in January. Slovakia also threatened Ukraine with disconnecting the country’s emergency electricity supply if Russian oil deliveries to Slovakia are not restored.
The United States is urging both sides to cease fighting and has mediated several rounds of talks in recent weeks without a clear breakthrough.
