Russia strikes west of Ukraine: Details and consequences reported

#Russia launched a massive attack on #Ukraine on the night of January 15, targeting #gas infrastructure pic.twitter.com/uyGK7t4NWh

— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) January 15, 2025

Breaking:

• Russia was attacked with cruise missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft. Monitors reported launches of Kalibr, ballistic missiles, Kh-22 missiles from Tu-22m3, and guided air-to-air missiles. Presumably, Russia also launched MiG-31K (the carrier of the Kinzhal).
• Poland was also taking its combat aircraft into the air amid the attack.
• Explosions were heard in Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Ivano-Frankivsk, as well as in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Lviv regions.
• Russia launched more than 70 drones at night and more than 40 missiles, including ballistic missiles, in the morning. At least 30 missiles were destroyed. The targets included gas infrastructure and energy facilities.
• Lviv region: 2 critical infrastructure facilities were hit in Drohobych and Stryi districts. A residential building and an outbuilding were damaged in the village of Sknyliv. A huge crater was created nearby.
• In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, Russia targeted critical infrastructure.
• Khmelnytskyi region: in the morning, air defense forces destroyed 4 Russian targets.
• Russian cruise missile was spotted in the Chernivtsi region. There were no consequences.
• Preventive blackouts were introduced in many regions.

Details

At night, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the takeoff of a group of Russian Tu-95MS bombers. In the morning, a group of cruise missiles began to enter Ukrainian airspace.

In addition, according to the monitoring channels, Russia used ballistic missiles, air-to-air missiles, Kalibr, Kh-22 missiles from Tu-22m3, and MiG-31K (carrier of the Kinzhal) to attack Ukraine.

First, a series of explosions were heard in Kharkiv, around 6:08 a.m. Kyiv time. At that time, the first cruise missiles were already being spotted in the region. In addition, Russia used ballistic missiles from the Belgorod region.

Explosions were also heard in the Chernihiv region while monitoring channels reported on Russian ballistic missile launches. Later, the media also reported on air defense in Cherkasy and the outskirts of the city.

However, the vast majority of missiles were still moving to the west of Ukraine. Explosions were heard in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi regions. In the Lviv region, air defense was reported to be working.

Poland, as it traditionally does during massive Russian missile attacks on Ukraine, raised its combat aircraft. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces noted that combat aircraft, ground-based air defense, and radar reconnaissance systems were put on alert in Poland.

Preventive blackouts

In response to the Russian attack, preventive blackouts were introduced in a number of regions, as reported by Energy Minister German Galushchenko.

“Due to the massive Russian attack, the transmission system operator is applying preventive restriction measures,” he wrote.

The restrictions were introduced at 7:12 a.m. Kyiv time. In total, the outages affected the following regions: Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Kirovohrad regions.

However, after about 9 a.m. Kyiv time, the blackouts were canceled in some regions.

Russia launched over 40 missiles at Ukraine, targeting energy sector

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already responded to the morning Russian terror. According to him, the target for the Russians is unchanged: Ukrainian energy. The targets include gas infrastructure and energy facilities that ensure normal life for people.

“Over 40 missiles were launched in this attack, including ballistic missiles. At least 30 were destroyed. Additionally, more than 70 Russian attack drones were launched overnight. Thanks to our air defense forces and all involved units, we’ve managed to maintain the functionality of our energy system,” he wrote.

The Head of State also added that Ukraine constantly needs to strengthen the existing capabilities of the air shield.

“Promises made by partners at the NATO summit in Washington and within the Ramstein format still remain partially unfulfilled. We’ve also discussed licenses for the production of air defense systems and missiles for them, which could serve as one of the effective security guarantees for Ukraine. This is both realistic and necessary to implement,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian air defense system's work

According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a total of 117 Russian air targets were detected and escorted by radio engineering troops, namely:

• 1 Iskander-M/KN- ballistic missile (launch area - Belgorod region)
• 7 Kh-22/32 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 aircraft (launch area - Tula region);
• 4 Kalibr cruise missiles (from the Black Sea);
• 27 Kh-101/Kh-55cm cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers (launch area - Volgograd region);
• 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided missiles from tactical aircraft (launch area - Belgorod region);
• 74 Shahed attack UAVs/imitator drones of various types (from Bryansk, Millerovo, Orel, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk districts).

Aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets, and mobile fire groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the Russian air attack. Preliminary, as of 10 a.m. Kyiv time, they managed to shoot down:

• 23 Kh-101, Kh-55cm cruise missiles;
• 3 Kalibr cruise missiles
• 4 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided missiles;
• 47 Shahed strike drones/imitators of various types, and another 27 did not reach their targets (lost in the area).

Ukrainian military notes that not all missiles that were not included in the statistics of those shot down reached their targets.

“Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities, in particular gas infrastructure in Kharkiv, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. Unfortunately, the Russian attack resulted in damage to the facilities,” the Ukrainian Air Force added.

Consequences in regions

Lviv region

During the first-night air alert, which lasted in the region from 1:35 to 2:48 a.m. Kyiv time, a Russian attack drone flew into the territory of the Lviv region. Air defense forces destroyed it. There were no casualties or damage.

However, during the morning attack, Russia fired missiles at the Lviv region. Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported at least 3 Russian cruise missiles.

“Russia attacked the energy infrastructure of our region and Ukraine. Emergency blackouts have been introduced in 6 regions, but Lviv is not on the list yet,” he wrote.

In turn, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi reported that two critical infrastructure facilities in Drohobych and Stryi districts were hit. There are underground gas storage facilities in the Stryi district.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, but there was some damage. Life support systems in the region are operating normally. No power cuts are currently being introduced,” informed Kozytskyi.

He also clarified that 2 private houses and 2 outbuildings were damaged as a result of the rocket fall in Sknyliv village, Zolochiv district. The blast wave damaged the roofs of the houses. There were no casualties or injuries. A crater 6 by 5 meters in diameter and about 2.5 meters deep was formed next to the house.

In addition, in one of the villages of Stryi district, fragments of a Russian rocket and one unexploded rocket were found in a field. Explosive experts were sent to the scene.

Ivano-Frankivsk region

Ruslan Martsinkiv, the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, wrote that there were no Russian strikes in the city, but reported on the work of air defense in the region.

Later, the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration, Svitlana Onyshchuk, said that in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, the target of the Russian missile attack was critical infrastructure.

“Ukrainian air defense forces were working in the region. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Relevant services are working at the scene. The situation is under control. We thank our defenders and everyone who is involved in eliminating the consequences of the Russian attack,” she wrote.

Khmelnytskyi region

In the morning, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 4 Russian targets in the Khmelnytskyi region. The places where the wreckage fell are currently being established.

“As of this hour, there have been no reports of injuries, deaths, or damage to property,” said the head of the region, Serhii Tiurin.

Chernivtsi region

During the morning massive attack on Ukraine, Russia also violated the airspace of the Chernivtsi region. According to Ruslan Zaparniuk, the head of the regional military administration, a Russian cruise missile was spotted there.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties or damage in our region,” he added.

The Russian missile attack was preceded by a drone attack. As a result, an air alert was declared in Kyiv and many regions. In the Cherkasy region, the windows of two houses and a car were damaged by falling Shahed debris. There were no casualties.

Before that, Russian troops launched a missile attack on Ukraine in the morning of December 31. The explosions were heard in Kyiv, and the fall of debris was recorded in the Darnytskyi district of the capital.

Shostka was hit by Russian missiles. Russia launched a missile attack on the infrastructure, destroying some facilities. Read more about this in RBC-Ukraine's report.

Sources: Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrenergo energy company, Energy Minister German Galushchenko, heads of regional military administrations and mayors.