A Russian drone and artillery attack kills 6 in Ukraine and knocks out power in a major city

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In Ukraine, a devastating incident unfolded as a Russian drone and artillery attack claimed the lives of six individuals and inflicted severe damage on both infrastructure and human lives. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia deployed nearly 50 Shahed drones in an aggressive assault, simultaneously shelling a train station in Kherson where more than 100 civilians had gathered, intending to embark on a journey to Kyiv. This ruthless barrage resulted in the tragic deaths of at least five people and plunged the southern city of Kherson into darkness by disrupting its power supply.

This aerial onslaught occurred in the wake of a prior confrontation, where Ukrainian warplanes had inflicted damage on a Russian vessel docked in the Black Sea near Crimea. These events transpired as the protracted 22-month war between the two nations continued with limited progress along the front lines.

During the night, the Kremlin’s forces launched a relentless bombardment using both artillery and drones in the Kherson region, coinciding with the presence of approximately 140 civilians waiting for a train in the region’s capital of the same name. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that this shelling resulted in the tragic death of a policeman, injuries to two other law enforcement officers, and two civilians. Subsequently, more than 100 people who had been at the train station during the attack managed to arrive in Kyiv on Wednesday morning, as confirmed by the national rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsia.

The repercussions of this attack on the Kherson region were profound, as it not only struck residential areas and a shopping mall but also incapacitated the power grid. Regrettably, this left approximately 70% of households in Kherson city without electricity, a dire situation during the winter months. Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin expressed uncertainty about the timeline for power restoration, echoing a disturbing tactic employed by Russia in the past winter when it sought to demoralize Ukrainians by depriving them of heating and running water.

In another city, Odesa, located in southern Ukraine, the drone assault resulted in the loss of two lives and injuries to three individuals, including a 17-year-old young man, as reported by regional Governor Oleh Kiper. Ukrainian air forces managed to intercept 32 out of the 46 drones launched by Russia during the overnight attack.

While these events unfolded, a Western military assessment cast doubt on the significance of Russia’s recent capture of a city in eastern Ukraine, suggesting it may not offer a substantial advantage for major battlefield gains. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi revealed that his troops had retreated to the northern outskirts of the city of Marinka, situated approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Donetsk, the largest city within Russian-held territory. He described how the Russians were systematically destroying Marinka, a city his forces had held for nearly two years.

The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, concurred that “Russian forces are highly unlikely to make rapid operational advances from Marinka.” Nevertheless, it emphasized that localized Russian offensive operations continued to exert pressure on Ukrainian forces in various locations along the front lines in eastern Ukraine.

For further updates on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, please visit https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine, where the Associated Press provides comprehensive coverage.

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More about Ukraine-Russia Conflict

• Associated Press Coverage – For detailed updates and news articles on the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• Shahed Drones – Learn more about the Shahed drones used in the attack.
• Kherson – Information about the city of Kherson, which was affected by the attack.
• Marinka – Details about the city of Marinka, mentioned in the text as a strategic location in the conflict.