Ukraine's Air Force Command announced today that Russia attacked the country with 24 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and modified S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, one Kh-59/69 tactical cruise missile, and 219 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of various types. The primary targets were the capital Kiev and major cities including Kharkov, Odessa, and Dnipro.

"Air defense units shot down or neutralized 15 Iskander-M and S-300 missiles, one Kh-59/69 munition, and 197 UAVs. 9 missiles and 19 UAVs struck 13 locations, with debris falling in 14 areas," the agency stated.

Explosions in Kiev and a fire at the CHP-5 thermal power plant after the attack on 12/2. Video: Times of Ukraine

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that two people were injured and one apartment building was damaged. Witnesses described multiple explosions rocking the city.

Nearly 2,600 apartment buildings and high-rise structures also lost heating following the attack, bringing the total number of buildings without heating in Kiev to 3,500. DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, announced that more than 100,000 households lost power, adding that one of its thermal power plants was targeted but did not specify its location.

Oleksandr Ganzha, governor of Dnipropetrovsk province, reported that 4 people were injured when Russian missiles and UAVs struck the provincial capital Dnipro and its surrounding area. Officials in Odessa stated that the attack damaged one apartment building, one energy facility, and one supermarket, and also burned stalls at a market.

AMK Mapping, an X account specializing in open-source intelligence on the conflict, identified the targets in the attack as the CHP-4, CHP-5, and CHP-6 thermal power plants in Kiev, the Prydniprovska power plant in Dnipro, and several targets in Pavlograd city, Dnipropetrovsk province, and Lozova, Kharkov province.

Flight paths of Russian missiles during the 12/2 attack. Graphic: X/AMK Mapping

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that it carried out a coordinated operation using UAVs and high-precision weapons launched from ground platforms and aircraft. This operation was in retaliation for previous Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure within Russian territory.

"The targets were energy infrastructure serving the Ukrainian military, production facilities, and storage depots for kamikaze UAVs. The operation achieved its objectives, with all targets successfully hit," the agency confirmed.

These attacks occurred after the second round of trilateral negotiations between Russian, Ukrainian, and US delegations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, these discussions have yet to resolve disagreements related to territory, including the Donbass region, which comprises Donetsk and Lugansk provinces.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)