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NATO warplanes scrambled as Putin’s bombers launch enormous blitz on Ukraine with 93 missiles & 200 drones
Kyiv is now facing major power cuts
NATO warplanes were scrambled as Vladimir Putin's bombers launched an enormous blitz on Ukraine.
The Russian tyrant launched 93 missiles and some 200 drones overnight in a strike at energy infrastructure that could leave half the country freezing in -5C weather.
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Some 11 of the 81 missiles destroyed were downed by F-16 planes, provided by the West, Volodymyr Zelensky claimed.
A massive Russian onslaught had been expected but there were no immediate reports of the fearsome medium range ballistic missile Oreshnik being deployed, as had been predicted.
Instead, Ukraine was hit with Iskander, Kalibr, Kinzhal missiles and Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones.
The missiles were launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers and MiG-31Ks deep inside Russia.
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Parts of Kyiv have now lost power with the city's underground rail having stopped running.
Energy minister German Galushchenko said: “’The enemy continues its terror.
“Once again, [the power sector][ throughout Ukraine is under massive attack.
“Energy workers are taking all necessary measures to minimise the negative consequences for the power system."
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Some of the strikes hit the in the west of the country, leading Poland to scramble its jets in response.
Zelensky has now blasted Putin over the attack and his claims that he wants peace.
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The brave leader said: “This is how he wants ‘negotiations’ – terrorising millions of people.
“And he is not limited either in range or in purchasing the necessary components for the production of missiles.
“We need ‘Patriots’ to shoot down these missiles and prove that terror will not achieve its goal."
Russia had warned of a powerful response to a Ukrainian strike this week carried out by US-supplied ATACMS missiles.
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The long-range missiles are critical to Ukraine, it says, and its ability to disrupt Putin's war machine.
But their use has been hotly debated with Russia vowing revenge and some Western backers thinking they are too strong.
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In late November, Trump told Time: “I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that?”
Both US ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles have been used to hit Russian territory for the first time since last month.
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