Putin Threatens Strikes on Kyiv Command Centers

UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – So far, Russian attacks have not hit government buildings in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine reported early Thursday morning a “massive attack” targeting its energy infrastructure and says it has had to carry out load shedding, particularly in kyiv. 79 Russian missiles and 35 explosive drones were intercepted by the Ukrainian army. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.

Putin says Russia could strike ‘command centers’ in kyiv

Russia selects targets in Ukraine that could include “command centers” in kyiv in response to long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with American ATACMS missile fire, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. So far, Russian attacks have not hit government buildings in the Ukrainian capital. kyiv is heavily protected by air defenses, but Putin says Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which was fired for the first time at a Ukrainian city last week, is incapable of being intercepted.

“Of course, we will respond to the incessant strikes on Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, as has already been said, including possibly continuing testing of the Oreshnik in combat conditions, as has been made on November 21 »Putin said at a meeting of the security alliance of ex-Soviet countries held in Kazakhstan. “Currently, the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff are selecting targets to strike on Ukrainian territory. These could be military installations, industrial and defense enterprises, or command centers in kyiv”he added.

Putin says Thursday’s Russian attack responds to US ATACMS missile strikes

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday’s massive strikes against Ukraine were his response to American ATACMS missile launches against Russian territory, despite his warning and threat of military escalation addressed to the West.

He claimed a massive strike with 90 missiles, 100 drones, ensuring that 117 targets had been hit. “This is a response to the continued attacks on our territory using ATACMS missiles”he added from Astana in Kazakhstan.

Also read War in Ukraine: why long-range ATACMS missiles are a tactical option that will not change the situation

Zelensky accuses Russia of dropping “cluster bombs”

Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused Russia of hitting its energy infrastructure with cluster bombs, effectively undermining these sites and complicating repairs, an escalation “contemptible”.

“These cluster munitions make it significantly more difficult for our rescuers and power engineers to eliminate the consequences of strikes, and this is a completely despicable escalation of Russian terrorist tactics.”the Ukrainian president stressed on social networks, insisting that his country needs “air defense systems now”.

Ukrainian Air Force says it intercepted Russian missiles and drones

The Ukrainian air force said Thursday that it had intercepted 79 missiles and 35 Russian explosive drones overnight during a new massive air attack by Moscow’s army. In total, Russia fired 91 missiles and 97 drone attacks aimed at “Energy infrastructure of Ukraine”the Air Force said in a statement published on Telegram.

280,000 people deprived of running water

More than a million Ukrainians are without electricity in the west of the country. The boss of one of the electricity supply companies, Yasno, Sergiï Kovalenko, indicated on Facebook that there are “Emergency power cuts across the country due to enemy attack”. According to him, the energy company Ukrenergo expects power cuts until the evening. The governor of the Lviv region reported shortly before 10:00 a.m. local time “523,000 subscribers (who) are without electricity because of the morning strikes”. Rivne regional authorities said 280,000 people were without running water, and there were also running water outages.

“All relevant services are working to eliminate the consequences of the attack”the governor, Oleksandre Koval, indicated on Telegram. In the neighboring Volyn region, 215,000 residents are plunged into darkness, according to the governor. The western region of Ivano-Frankivsk is also experiencing power outages, as well as that of Khmelnytsky, in central Ukraine, also reported power outages, but did not quantify the population affected. In the south of the country, the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, announced that schools will remain closed on Thursday.

Targeted energy infrastructure

Ukraine reported early this Thursday, November 28, a “massive attack” against its energy infrastructure and says it has had to carry out load shedding, particularly in kyiv, at a time when Moscow is intensifying its military pressure on the country. While temperatures are around 0°C, “once again the energy sector is under massive attack from the enemy”the Ministry of Energy said on Facebook.

An air alert was triggered across the country, with the Ukrainian Air Force reporting missile strikes targeting in particular the regions of Odessa (south), Kirovograd (center), Kherson (east). ) and Mykolaiv (south). On Tuesday, Russia announced a “answer” to two new Ukrainian strikes carried out using American ATACMS missiles against its territory in the preceding days.

Lower the age of mobilization

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have destroyed 25 Ukrainian drones overnight over the Bryansk region, close to Belarus, Crimea and the Rostov region (south). On the front, Moscow is making territorial gains against a weakened Ukrainian army.

On Wednesday, the administration of outgoing President Joe Biden called on kyiv to lower the minimum age for military mobilization to 18 from the current 25 to compensate for the shortage of soldiers. A senior official in the current US administration said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday that Ukraine faces a crisis “existential” in recruitment, with a dwindling reserve of volunteers, facing an enemy with more numerous and better equipped forces.

The White House clarified on Wednesday that American military aid would in no way be conditioned on a further lowering of the age of mobilization. “We will absolutely continue to send weapons and equipment to Ukraine. We know it’s vital. But so are the human numbers”White House spokesperson John Kirby said in a statement.

Trump appoints envoy

Donald Trump, for his part, announced on Wednesday to appoint former general Keith Kellogg, 80, who called on kyiv for several concessions, as emissary to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. “Together we will achieve peace through strength and make America and the world safe again!”wrote the president-elect in a publication on his Truth Social network. Very critical of the billions of dollars released by the United States for Ukraine, Donald Trump promised to resolve the war between kyiv and Moscow even before taking the oath of office in January – without ever explaining how.

In a note published in April, Keith Kellogg emphasized that “any future US military aid will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia”. He also called for “postpone Ukraine’s accession to theI’ll take it for an extended period” in order to “convince (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to participate in peace talks”. Russia is benefiting in its current breakthrough from help from North Korea, which according to American authorities has deployed thousands of men and is supplying weapons to Moscow.

​ Evaluate the potential implications of the Biden administration’s pressure on Ukraine to lower the military mobilization age, considering‍ both ⁢the military and political ramifications

This​ news article reports on the recent escalation of the war in Ukraine, highlighting the following ‍key points:

* **Russian Missile Attacks**: Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, firing 91⁣ missiles and ​97 drones. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a⁢ significant portion, but ⁢widespread power outages and disruptions⁣ to water supplies have occurred across⁢ the country, particularly in the west.

* **Civilian Impact**: Over a million Ukrainians are without electricity, with hundreds of thousands also lacking running water. Schools in Mykolaiv have been closed, and emergency services are working to restore services.

* ⁤**Ukrainian Response**: ⁤Ukrainian President Zelensky condemned the attacks as “despicable” and called for⁤ more air defence systems from allies.‍

* **Escalation Concerns**: The attacks come ‍after Ukraine reportedly targeted​ Russian territory with American-supplied missiles.‌

* **Russian Territorial Gains**: The article suggests Russia is making ​progress on the front lines, putting pressure on Ukraine’s⁢ dwindling reserves of ‌soldiers.

* **US Pressure on Mobilization**: The Biden administration is urging Ukraine to lower the military mobilization age to 18 to⁣ address⁣ manpower⁣ shortages. This request, however, is not being linked to continued US military ⁣aid.

The article paints a picture of a war intensifying on​ multiple fronts, ‌with Russia resorting to attacks on‌ civilian infrastructure ⁣and⁣ Ukraine facing pressure on its military capacity.‌ The situation highlights the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine‍ and the complex political dynamics surrounding the conflict.