Russia unleashed what Ukraine has called the largest aerial attack since the war began on Friday, in an 18-hour onslaught.
The brutal barrage, made up of 122 missiles and 36 drones, comes shortly after reports Vladimir Putin was “furious” Ukraine had managed to take down a Russian warship in the annexed area of Crimea.
Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel, that this was “the most massive aerial attack” since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The previous largest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles against Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, several civilians establishments were targeted – including a maternity ward, educational facilities, residential buildings and a parking lot.
Zelenskyy also claimed: “Russia used every type of weapon in its arsenal.”
Six cities right across Ukraine were targeted, including the capital of Kyiv. The total number of casualties has not et been confirmed.
He claimed the majority of missiles were shot down, but there were still fatalities and injuries – at least 18 were killed, according to Associated Press new agency.
PM Rishi Sunak responded to Zelenskyy’s post, saying the “widespread attacks on Ukraine’s cities show Putin will stop at nothing to achieve his aim of eradicating freedom and democracy”.
Sunak added: “We will not let him win. We must continue to stand with Ukraine – for as long as it takes.”
The attack came shortly after a Ukrainian partisan group Atesh suggested Putin was plotting a particularly brutal attack next out of revenge.
Atesh said on Telegram that Putin was “completely furious over the destruction of the Novocherkassk large landing ship”.
Ukraine used a British-supplied missile to sinking the key Russian ship in the annexed peninsula of Crimea.
The Novocherkassk warship was targeted on Boxing Day in a blast which has left at least 52 of the 77 people onboard either missing or injured.
Atesh – the resistance group who want to “destroy the Russian army from the inside” – wrote on Telegram: “The flywheel of repression is spinning.
“Local residents have been raided throughout the city, their smartphones are being taken away and their houses are being searched.”
Western officials had previously warned that Russia may have been stockpiling for strikes against Ukraine in the winter in an effort to reduce morale.
Earlier this week, Moscow also took some land hard won by Ukraine during the height of Kyiv’s summer counteroffensive – the southern village of Robotyne.
Ukraine’s counteroffensive has since stalled, prevented from progressing anywhere along the 620 mile frontline due to the winter weather.