War in Ukraine: Russia starts "massive" drone and missile attacks

Early on Friday, as Moscow intensified its attacks in Ukraine's south and east and air raid sirens sounded throughout much of the nation, Russian forces attacked vital infrastructure in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in the country, and launched numerous strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia.

As officials reported Russian airstrikes on high-voltage facilities across Ukraine, several explosions were reportedly heard in Kyiv.

The Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions were targeted by "six Kalibr cruise missiles," "up to 35 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles," and "seven Shahed drones," according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

The anti-aircraft defense "destroyed" five Kalibr cruise missiles and five Shahed drones, according to the air force.No casualties have been reported at this stage by Ukrainian authorities.

Several facilities in eastern, southern, and western Ukraine were struck, producing a disturbance in the flow of electricity, according to Ukrenergo, the operator of Ukraine's power grid.

According to Anatolii Kurtiev, the secretary of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, the city was attacked 17 times in a single hour, which he said was a record for the full-scale assault since it began in February 2022.