Russia launched larche missile and drone strike on Ukraine, targeting the power grid

Russia Conducts Mass Missile and Drone Strikes on Ukraine: At Least 7 Dead, 19 Injured

Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine during the night of Nov. 17, resulting in at least seven civilian deaths and injuries to 19 others across multiple regions, according to Ukrainian officials.

The capital, Kyiv, experienced its first mass missile attack in more than two months, following a period of intensified drone strikes. Explosions rocked the city between 6:30 and 7:15 a.m. local time, with multiple districts impacted by falling debris.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that debris set a fourth-floor apartment ablaze in a residential building in the Pechersk neighborhood, injuring two individuals, one of whom required hospitalization. Damage was also recorded in the Holosiivskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, where residential and commercial buildings, a library, and a club suffered impacts.

Explosions and strikes were reported in cities and regions across Ukraine, including Kropyvnytskyi, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, as well as Khmelnytskyi and Volyn oblasts.

In Mykolaiv, a missile strike killed two people and injured seven others, including two children. Governor Vitalii Kim confirmed the casualties. Meanwhile, in Dnipro, a railway depot was struck, killing two railway workers and injuring three. Governor Serhii Lysak noted additional damage to high-rise buildings, an educational institution, and a vehicle, with a 42-year-old man treated for shrapnel wounds.

In Kyiv Oblast, a 45-year-old woman sustained a head injury, and industrial facilities, 21 houses, and various other buildings were damaged, according to Governor Ruslan Kravchenko.

Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated that Russia's strikes targeted Ukraine's power generation and transmission infrastructure. Emergency shutdowns were implemented to stabilize the grid, raising concerns of renewed attacks on critical energy systems as winter approaches, mirroring similar Russian tactics from previous cold seasons.

The Nov. 17 assault marks a significant escalation in Russia's targeting of civilian and energy infrastructure, with widespread destruction and casualties reported across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have warned of further attacks as Russia intensifies its strategy during colder months.

Zelenskyy recognizes personnel crises in the government

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted a persistent personnel crisis in Ukraine's government, worsened by the war. He cited significant losses of skilled professionals, both in state institutions and the private sector, due to the conflict. Zelenskyy highlighted the challenges of government work, including high responsibility and a demanding 24/7 schedule, which some private-sector professionals found difficult to adapt to. He called on students and youth to consider careers in public service to address the shortage and emphasized the need to modernize and digitize bureaucracy.

According to the German Ambassador Putin does not want negotiations with Ukraine

German Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Jaeger condemned Russia's latest infrastructure attacks, calling them evidence of its preference for escalation over negotiations. He labeled the strikes among the most severe since February 2022, emphasizing that Russia is targeting Ukrainian civilians.

German Ambassador to Russia Alexander Graf Lambsdorff echoed this sentiment, stating that talks about demilitarized zones or a ceasefire are premature, as Russia continues its daily bombings. He stressed that Europe will play a pivotal role in achieving a peaceful resolution while continuing to support Ukraine.

These statements followed a controversial phone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin—the first in two years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the call as opening a "Pandora's box." Reactions in Germany were divided: CDU/CSU MP Jürgen Gardt viewed Scholz's move as a sign of weakness, while SPD Secretary General Matthias Miersch defended the decision.