In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russia unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage across Ukraine on August 26. This attack, which began around midnight and continued into the early morning hours, targeted vital energy infrastructure and resulted in the deaths of at least three people.
The Ukrainian air force reported multiple groups of Russian drones moving towards eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of Ukraine, followed by numerous cruise and ballistic missiles. Explosions were heard in Kyiv, the capital city, with Mayor Vitalii Klitschko confirming that power and water supplies had been disrupted by the attack.
In the western city of Lutsk, Mayor Ihor Polishchuk reported that a multi-story residential building and an unspecified infrastructure object were hit, leading to one fatality. In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, one person was killed after the attack sparked multiple fires, according to regional head Serhii Lysak. The southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, which is partially occupied by Russian forces, also saw one fatality, as confirmed by regional head Ivan Fedorov.
In response to the widespread damage, Ukraine’s private energy company DTEK implemented emergency blackouts, stating in an online statement that “energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians.”
The attack also triggered a security response from neighboring Poland. The Polish military activated its air defenses, along with those of NATO, in the eastern part of the country.
During a visit to Ukraine by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed India’s significant crude oil trade with Russia. Highlighting India’s “global influence”, Zelensky urged India to consider halting its oil imports from Russia, arguing that such action would help significantly hinder Moscow’s war effort and “put Vladimir Putin in his place.”
