Ukraine awoke to a fresh Russian missile bombardment that killed at least five people and cut off power to hundreds of thousands across the country.
(Bloomberg) — Ukraine awoke to a fresh Russian missile bombardment that killed at least five people and cut off power to hundreds of thousands across the country.
The barrage of Iranian-made drones and almost every other type of projectile in Russia’s arsenal also included Kinzhal missiles, which Russia says are hypersonic rockets able to evade air defenses.
Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant in the southern Zaporizhzhia region went into blackout mode, during which it depends on diesel generators to run its operating and safety systems, Energoatom said.
Key Developments
- Russia Shifts Tactics With Barrage That Kills Five in Ukraine
- Russian Cyberwar in Ukraine Stumbles Just Like Conventional One
- Ukrainian Investor’s Exit Marks Rude Awakening for Warsaw Bourse
(All times CET)
Zelenskiy Urges Quick Repair of Power Supply (12:06 p.m.)
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged for rapid repairs of the energy infrastructure in the areas hit by the missile attack.
Russia Still Has Many Questions About the Grain Deal (10:51 a.m.)
There are currently no planned talks between Russian Preisdent Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Tass.
Grain Traders Bank on Renewal of Vital Ukraine Crop Deal (9:18 a.m.)
The crucial grain deal that revived Ukraine’s crop exports and helped bring down global prices is up for renewal again, and the market is betting on another extension.
The current agreement runs through March 18 and can be continued for another 120 days if no side seeks to modify or terminate the pact. The United Nations on Wednesday stressed how critical the deal is, and Kyiv and Moscow have voiced demands with talks underway.
Futures for wheat and corn — the top two crops shipped through the corridor — have fallen in recent weeks amid an outlook for ample supplies. Wheat has hit the lowest since 2021, also pressured by big Russian and Australian harvests.
Read More: Grain Traders Bank on Renewal of Vital Ukraine Crop Deal
Zelenskiy Slams Russian Missile Attack (9:18 a.m.)
President Zelenskiy said Russia was returning to its “miserable tactics” when it can “only terrorize civilians.”
“The energy system is being restored,” he said on Telgram. “Restrictions were imposed in all regions.”
Ukraine Vows to Keep Fighting for Bakhmut (8:47 a.m.)
Ukraine will hold the line in Bakhmut “until it becomes impossible,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica and other media.
“No one will be sacrificed,” and if there is a “concrete threat of encirclement” the decision can be reviewed, he said. Still, he said that “if we can still fight in Bakhmut, we must fight.”
Russia Fired 81 Missiles on Thursday, Ukraine Says (8:44 a.m.)
Of those, Ukraine downed 42 missiles and four drones, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, said on Telegram. That included six Kinzhal missiles fired from Russian jets, he said.
Russian Missile Kills Five People in Lviv Region (8:42 a.m.)
A missile killed at least five people in their homes near Lviv in western Ukraine, regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said on Telegram.
Recovery work was underway, and more people may remain buried under the debris. The resulting fire destroyed three houses, he said.
Russian Kinzhal Missile Hit Kyiv, Authorities Say (7:07 a.m.)
Russia launched Shahed drones and practically all available missiles against Ukraine, Kyiv’s city military administration said on Telegram.
During the seven-hour-long air raid alarm, the capital’s air defenses downed all Russian single-attack drones and cruise missiles.
However, one Kinzhal hypersonic missile hit infrastructure in the capital, according to the statement. Missile debris wounded two people as well as damaged cars in western Kyiv.
Kyiv Mayor Says at Least Two People Wounded (6:26 a.m.)
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least two people were wounded by a Russian missile attack in the west of the capital.
Emergency cutoffs were applied to the energy grid, affecting power supply to about 15% of Kyiv’s households, Klitschko said on Telegram.
Cities Come Under Fresh Missile Attacks (5:25 a.m.)
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, and the surrounding region were hit by at least 15 strikes on critical infrastructure and private homes, local governor Oleh Synehubov said on Telegram.
The railroad company Ukrzaliznytsia said about 15 trains out of more than 90 were running with delays early Thursday because of Russian attacks on energy facilities. A number of railroad areas across the country are out of power, the company said on Telegram.
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