Putin launched a bombardment into Ukraine. The attacks were launched within hours of Ukraine President Zelensky’s video address to the G20 summit. And a week after Ukraine took back the area of Kherson Oblast.

Hundreds of Russian missiles were launched. Most of them were pointed toward power plants and infrastructure.

This was the longest and most widespread barrage of missile attacks since Russia invaded Ukraine. The missiles struck targets across the country and caused widespread blackouts. Five people are confirmed dead, and 21 Ukrainians were wounded in the blasts.

During the attack some missiles crossed into 15 miles into Poland’s territory. And three people were killed. 

It was later determined the missiles that hit the adjacent NATO member country were not from Russia. It was the fallout from Ukraine’s missiles that were attempting to intercept the Russian bombs.

Ukraine was able to intercept and shoot down at least 70 of the missiles while they were airborne.

Humiliation leads to bombardment into Ukraine

In his speech to the G20 Zelensky celebrated the victory in the Kherson Oblast region. A victory, he compared to Allied forces landing in France during D-Day in World War II.

He said it was ‘reminiscent of many battles in the past, which became turning points in the wars of the past’.

‘It’s like, for example, D-Day – the landing of the Allies in Normandy. It was not yet a final point in the fight against evil, but it already determined the entire further course of events. This is exactly what we are feeling now’, he said.

Many world leaders and attendees condemned Moscow for actions in Ukraine. And they were critical of Putin for not facing the summit in person.  Rishi Sunak claimed that ‘Maybe if he had, we could get on with sorting things out.’

Missile strikes leave damage

The aerial assault knocked out much of Ukraine’s electricity. The power grid was previously damaged by constant attacks that destroyed about 40% of the energy infrastructure. 

Zelensky claims that 10 million Ukrainians are currently without power. But he remains defiant. And declared that “We will survive everything.”

"We need to put the terrorist in its place. The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will be for everyone within the reach of Russian missiles,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian energy minister Herman Haluschenko said that the attack was “the most massive” bombardment into Ukraine. And that it hit both power generation facilities and transmission systems.

He claimed that Putin was “trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system on the eve of winter.”

Haluschenko added that the missile strikes were “another attempt at terrorist revenge” after military setbacks in Kherson. And diplomatic setbacks at the G20 summit.