Russia massively attacks Ukraine: missiles hit critical infrastructure, casualties reported

On the night of March 9, Russian military unleashed another massive missile attack on Ukraine, hitting critical infrastructure and causing casualties among the civilians

This was reported by the regional authorities.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the massive missile attack on Ukraine:

“It's been a hard night. Massive missile attacks across the country. Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia regions. Attacks on critical infrastructure and residential buildings. Unfortunately, there are victims and casualties. My condolences to the families. All services are working. The power system is being restored. Restrictions were imposed in all regions,” he said.

According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, shelling of energy facilities was recorded in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Dnipro, and Zhytomyr regions.

Zaporizhzhia region

“In Zaporizhzhia region, one of the critical infrastructure facilities was targeted by five Russian missiles, preliminary S-300,” the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration's press service writes.

No one was reportedly injured. Relevant services are working on the spot.

Lviv region

A Russian missile crashed in a residential area in the Zolochiv district, Lviv region. A fire broke out, but was quickly extinguished.

At first, four adults were reported killed: two men and two women who were at home when the missile fell. This was stated by the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi.

Later, Kozytskyi reported that the number of people killed as a result of the rocket's fall had increased to five.

“The body of another man, born in 1963, was found under the rubble,” the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration wrote. 

As Andrii Broslavskyi, head of Velyka Vilshanytsia village, told Espreso, there are no military facilities or critical infrastructure in the village.

“I arrived here at 3:50 am, and rescuers, medics, and police were already working here. There are no railroad tracks or military facilities near us, nothing important. I can't say how the missile hit,” the village head said. 

The rescuers have already finished their work, and local residents have gathered at the site of the tragedy to help the families of the victims. One of the five victims had just celebrated his birthday on March 8, turning 63.

In total, the fire destroyed three residential buildings, three cars, a garage and several outbuildings.

Odesa region

Several  power lines   and a tower have been damaged in the Odesa region. Hourly emergency power outages are currently in effect. Power engineers have already started repair work.

Missiles hit an energy infrastructure facility in Odesa region and damaged residential buildings, said the head of the regional military administration, Maksym Marchenko.

"Fortunately, there were no casualties. The power supply is currently being limited. Air defense units have shot down missiles. Combat activity is ongoing, the second wave is expected right now, so I ask the residents of the region to stay in shelters!" Marchenko added.

According to him, air defense shot down six missiles and one unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky over the Odesa region.

Kharkiv region

A spokesperson for the Kharkiv energy company said that as of 09:25 am, the entire city of Kharkiv was without power. In the region, electricity began to appear partially in the Lozova, Novovodolazka and Pervomaiske communities.

"A series of explosions in Kharkiv. No details yet, but I ask everyone to be careful," Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov wrote on Telegram. Oleh Synyehubov, the head of the regional military administration, also warned of the danger.

Later, the mayor of Kharkiv reported problems with critical infrastructure: "Energy sector is the target. There are problems with electricity in some areas of Kharkiv. But we will survive and fix everything."

Oleh Synyehubov added that the enemy launched about 15 attacks on the city and the region.

"Critical infrastructure facilities are again in the invaders' sights. Preliminary, a private residential building in Kharkiv region was hit. Information about the victims and the damage is being clarified."

Later, Natalia Popova, advisor to the head of the Regional Military Administration, said that rescuers had taken 2 people out of the private house where the Russians had struck. 

"One person was treated on the spot. One was hospitalized," she said.

As a result of the Russian attack on the power grid in Kharkiv, ground transportation is not working.

“Instead, buses are running. The subway is also not transporting passengers – it is operating only as a shelter. All utilities and energy services are working to eliminate the consequences of the shelling,” the city council said.

Synyehubov wrote that the region was shelled with S-300 missiles, and that civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv was damaged in addition to hits to critical infrastructure.

“An enemy missile hit the yard of a private house in the Pisochyn village, Kharkiv district, damaging several residential buildings,” he wrote, adding that two elderly women were lightly wounded.

In particular, a 71-year-old woman was hospitalized, and another local resident, 74 years old, was treated on the spot.

Another rocket in Pisochyn hit a swamp. And in the village of Slobozhanske, Chuhuiv district, a Russian shell damaged the greenhouses of a vegetable factory.

Kyiv and the region

According to the Kyiv City Military Administration, as of 07:30, there was a hit to an infrastructure facility in Holosiivskyi district.

"All services are working on the scene. Two people were wounded by rocket fragments in Svyatoshynskyi district. They are receiving medical aid. The remnants of the rocket also damaged cars. The information is being clarified. Emergency power outages are partially affected in the capital," said Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. 

The administration notes that during the air alert, the Russians fired almost all types of their air weapons, from Shahed barrage munitions to almost all types of cruise missiles.

"Thanks to the work of our air defense system, no cruise missile or UAV attacks on the capital were allowed. But, unfortunately, a Kinzhal-type aerial ballistic missile (preliminary information) hit an infrastructure facility. All services are working on the site," the statement said.

Earlier, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on explosions in the Holosiivskyi district of the capital.

"All services are being sent to the scene. More details later," he said.

Another explosion occurred in the Sviatoshynskyi district, setting cars on fire.

"All services are heading to the scene. Cars are burning in the yard of a residential building. An air raid alert continues. Stay in shelters!" Klitschko wrote.

Two people were injured in the Sviatoshynskyi district. Medics are providing assistance on the spot.

Due to the missile attack, the power company used technological emergency power outages in the capital. Currently, about 15% of consumers are without power, and 40% of the capital's consumers are without heating. Water supply is operating normally.

As of 9:12 am, emergency power outages have been canceled in the city.

By 5 pm, power supply in Kyiv was restored in full. 30% of buildings were left without heating. This was reported by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

“Electricity supply to Kyiv consumers has been restored in full. Work to restore heat supply continues. Currently, 30% of homes are without heating,” he wrote.

Dnipropetrovsk region

The enemy attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones and missiles. Hits were recorded in the Dnipro, Pavlohrad, Kryvyi Rih and Nikopol districts. 

Preliminary, one person was killed and two were injured in this massive attack.

Energy infrastructure and industrial enterprises have also been damaged. There is serious destruction there. Relevant services are working on the ground. They are extinguishing fires and dealing with the aftermath of the attacks.

Zhytomyr region

At night, the enemy attacked the Zhytomyr region with 'kamikaze' drones. One of the energy infrastructure facilities was hit. The attack left almost 150,000 customers without power supply.

According to the updated information, as of 5:40 pm on March 9, almost 100,000 households were connected to electricity.

The Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration reported this

Nevertheless, the situation with power supply in the region will remain difficult but under control in the coming days. Residents have been warned about the use of scheduled power outages.

“I would like to emphasize that during this time, the region will be subject to a strict electricity saving regime. We all went through this in the fall. Therefore, during peak hours, we limit the use of powerful electrical appliances as much as possible, minimize the use of electricity for street lighting, advertising signs and shop windows,” Vitalii Bunechko, head of the Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration, said. 

As of 12:00 pm, it was reported that 60,000 consumers had been connected to electricity through backup power lines.

“Power engineers have managed to power critical infrastructure facilities in the region. They will be able to start switching consumers to backup power lines as soon as the fire is extinguished,” Vitalii Bunechko said. 

There were no preliminary casualties.

The mayor of Zhytomyr, Serhiy Sukhomlyn, said that the situation after the strike was very difficult. There was no electricity and water in most houses, electric transport will not work for some time, and there will be many restrictions. Generators have been launched at critical infrastructure facilities.

Kirovohrad region

According to Andriy Raikovych, head of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration, there was a hit to a power facility in the Kropyvnytskyi district. The relevant services are on the spot.

There were no casualties.

Cherkasy region

"There is an increased threat of a missile attack in Cherkasy region. Stay in the safest place possible! The air alert continues," the head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, Ihor Taburets, wrote on Telegram.

Preventive power outages have also been introduced in the region. 

"Power engineers are working to secure the power grid," he added.

Chernihiv region

Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed a cruise missile near Pryluky.

"Last night was productive for the Chernihiv Defense Forces: Air defense destroyed a cruise missile near Pryluky," reports North Operational Command.

Ivano-Frankivsk region

In a video message on Telegram, the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, Svitlana Onyshchuk, said:

“Last night we survived another massive missile attack by the occupying Russian forces. We have missile hits in our region at an energy facility.”

Ternopil region

In the Ternopil region, fragments of a Russian missile fell, damaging buildings, including residential ones. 

“Rocket fragments fell on the territory of the Pidhaitsi community in the Ternopil district. The explosion damaged 5 buildings, one of which is residential. There were no casualties,” Volodymyr Trush, head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, said on Telegram.

According to the head of the region, the bomb squad did not find any dangerous items. However, the site of the incident may be contaminated with rocket fuel residue.

Investigators and rescuers were working at the scene.

As of 5:20 pm, according to the Ternopil Military Administration, experts have documented all the damage caused by the morning shelling on the territory of the Pidhaitsi territorial community. These are mainly windows, doors, and roofs of houses. An extraordinary meeting of the local commission on technogenic and industrial safety and emergency response was held at the Ternopil District Military Administration, and a headquarters for the elimination of the consequences was set up. Construction materials were delivered to the site and repair work began.

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In some regions, electricity was cut off due to a threat to the power grid. And Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsia announced that some sections of the railway were de-energized and trains were delayed.

"Due to an enemy attack on energy infrastructure facilities, we have a number of blackouts across the country, and reserve diesel locomotives are being used," the company said. 

As of 12:00 pm, 7 trains were more than 30 minutes late.

“We reduce delays and remind you of the possibility of boarding the next train within a day with the same tickets if you missed your train due to air raid alert. If you are at risk of missing your connection due to a train delay, please inform our conductor in advance and we will find a solution,” Ukrzaliznytsia emphasized. 

The Kyiv Ring Railway continued to run on schedule.