Russia launches simultaneous airstrikes on over 10 cities across Ukraine... at least 14 dead

Targeting Rush Hour for Mass Destruction
Russian Defense Ministry "All Targets Successfully Hit"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russia launched a massive missile strike across 12 major cities, including Ukraine's capital Kyiv, resulting in over 100 casualties. It is presumed that the attack targeted the rush hour with heavy traffic congestion to maximize casualties.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 10th (local time), Russia carried out a large-scale missile strike with 84 missiles across 12 cities throughout Ukraine, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Ukrainian authorities have reported at least 14 deaths and 97 injuries from the attack so far.

The primary targets of this strike were the central area of Kyiv and civilian activity zones. Especially during the rush hour between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., when traffic congestion begins, missiles were launched across various parts of the city and roads, causing massive chaos. Over 30 fires broke out in Kyiv alone.

Along with extensive human and property damage, the attack severely damaged the power grids of major Ukrainian cities, leading to ongoing blackouts. Power outages continue in four major cities, including Lviv. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that "Russia's missile attacks destroyed thermal power plants and substations, which are currently under repair and will take at least 24 hours to restore," adding, "To stabilize our own energy system, electricity exports to the European Union (EU) will be suspended starting from the 11th."

Particularly targeting major cities during the heavily congested rush hour has drawn widespread condemnation as a deliberate war crime by Russia intended to cause large-scale civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense celebrated the success of the attack. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a media briefing that "Today, the Russian military delivered a large-scale strike with high-precision long-range weapons against Ukrainian military and communication and energy targets," emphasizing, "The attack objectives were achieved. All designated targets were hit."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.