At least 28 people killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine

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New Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight resulted in the deaths of at least 28 people, including five children who died in a missile strike on a residential building in the north of the country, according to the latest toll announced by relief agencies on Wednesday.

In Bryloky in the Chernihiv region in the north, where windows were shattered by the violent explosion, rescue teams were still searching through the rubble of a residential building that was partially destroyed by a Russian missile strike, according to the public prosecutor's office.

In a post on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that three of the victims of the strike were not older than one year, while another child, aged eight, was also killed. Later, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the recovery of a fifth child's body from under the rubble.

Ukrainian authorities announced that 20 people were killed as a result of the strike that targeted the city of Bryloky.

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Zelensky added that the strikes resulted in dozens of injuries, including seven children, while 15 people were rescued, including one child, accusing Russia of targeting "ordinary cities and the lives of ordinary people."

He added, "By continuing to target Ukraine, our people, and our children with missiles, Russia is deliberately spreading terror."

Zelensky stated earlier in a social media post, "There may still be people under the rubble."

Zelensky condemned "one of the most heinous attacks," noting the launch of "70 missiles in total, including a large number of ballistic missiles," which are difficult to intercept, in addition to drones, targeting 12 regions in the country during the night.

He said, "Our energy infrastructure was one of the main targets."

Zelensky, who is urging his allies for more systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, announced the death of two people in Oleksandriya and two in Kremenchuk, both cities located in the central part of the country.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that two people were killed in a fire that broke out due to a strike targeting the Darnytsky residential area.

He added that two other people were killed in subsequent strikes.

In the Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region of Ukraine, two people, including a teenage girl, were killed in a drone strike, while two others were killed in a drone attack targeting a village near the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, which was annexed by Russia, according to authorities appointed by Moscow.

The approach of winter raises fears of a repeat of last year's scenario, when Russia bombed energy facilities in the country, plunging millions of homes into darkness and cold. Restrictions on energy consumption have already been imposed in Kyiv.

Zelensky warned on Tuesday evening that Russia is planning to launch "widespread" strikes, particularly on the country's energy infrastructure.

He said on Wednesday, "The Russians wanted to deliver a painful and showy blow," describing the attack as "one of the most heinous strikes" in the ongoing conflict that has lasted nearly five years.

For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it bombed during the night, particularly in Kyiv and its region and in the Chernihiv region, factories for assembling and storing cruise missiles, including Ukrainian "Flamingo" missiles, and long-range drones.

The capital has faced increasing attacks in recent weeks as winter approaches, with air raid sirens sounding almost continuously to warn of imminent Russian strikes.

Residents took shelter in metro stations early Wednesday, carrying bags, sleeping mats, and blankets, after the military issued warnings for Kyiv and other regions of the country.

Irina Ribalchenko, who works at a bank, told AFP while sitting on the station platform wearing a dark hooded jacket and surrounded by bags, "We took our things and came here, as we live right next to the station."

She added, "All of Kyiv is in a state of fear. We were stuck at work today, and everyone and our bosses in the chat groups were sending us messages asking us to be cautious."

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia launched at least 50 missiles and 130 drones overnight on several areas, including Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Poltava.

Zelensky considered ballistic missiles to be the "biggest challenge" despite some being shot down, emphasizing that acquiring new air defense systems is a "vital necessity" to help Ukraine defend itself.

The renewed attacks on Tuesday led to scheduled power outages that plunged parts of Kyiv into darkness in an effort to relieve pressure on the damaged electricity grid.

Zelensky urged residents on Tuesday to heed air raid alerts, stating in his evening address that "there is updated intelligence regarding the Russians' readiness to launch a large-scale strike."

Military monitoring channels also indicated that they expect a large-scale Russian attack combining cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and fast jet-powered drones.

Zelensky confirmed that the army is "prepared to respond, to the extent that our defense systems allow."

The air forces announced on Wednesday morning that they intercepted five ballistic missiles, 39 cruise missiles, and over 100 drones.

Ukraine is facing difficulty in shooting down the new and fast jet drones, as well as the ballistic missiles that are hard to intercept.

Daria Medvedeva, 36, told AFP, "The children were completely terrified. The more intense the shelling, the more we try to take shelter underground."