Ukraine Under Siege: Russian Missile and Drone Strikes Spark Widespread Air Alerts

An air alert was issued across Ukraine this morning following the launch of cruise missiles by Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers. Eight of these aircraft were tracked flying from the Caspian Sea toward Ukraine. The air alert, which had been in place since 6:25 AM local time, was prompted by both the missile launches and the presence of MiG-31K jets, which can carry the deadly Dagger missiles.

The western regions of Ukraine were not affected by the alert, while the rest of the country, including Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Kirovohrad, were under threat. Ukrainian forces have been fighting off a series of attacks, including Shahed-type drones, which have been a regular occurrence in the night. Although Ukrainian air defenses shot down numerous drones, the exact number of intercepted missiles and drones remains unclear.

Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv last njght.

◾️In Mykolaiv, five people were killed, one more person injured.
◾️In Zaporizhzhia, one person was killed, 21 more injured, a four-year-old boy among them.

Ukrainian reality...
????: Zaporizhzhia pic.twitter.com/UdXY9N8ATB

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 11, 2024

Reports later confirmed the destruction caused by Russian airstrikes, which killed at least five people, including five children, and injured 19 others. Four of the fatalities occurred in Mykolaiv, with the other in Zaporizhzhia, where a residential building was demolished. Explosions were heard in Kyiv early this morning, and parts of the capital were left without electricity.

The night also saw mass drone launches across Ukraine, with Ukrainian air defenses detecting 145 Russian air targets coming from Crimea and regions like Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Orel, and Bryansk. A significant portion of the drones was shot down, though some remained in the air, with others veering toward Moldova, Belarus, and Russia.

This series of attacks coincided with a statement from European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who emphasized that regardless of any future peace deal, Russia would be held accountable for the war crimes committed during the conflict in Ukraine. Borrell, on a visit to Chernihiv Oblast, stressed that peace must be both just and lasting, warning against ending the war hastily without responsibility. He pointed out that the war's end must be based on accountability for those involved in the atrocities, particularly the Russian forces responsible for the suffering of Ukrainian civilians. Borrell, who has prioritized European aid to Ukraine during his tenure, also noted that the situation remains uncertain with the upcoming transition of U.S. leadership, with President Biden still having two months to influence decisions before the inauguration of Donald Trump.

In the meantime, Ukraine continues to face relentless attacks from Russia, which have caused widespread devastation across the country.