Putin unleashes massive drone & missile blitz on Ukraine as explosions rock Kyiv & Nato jets scrambled

UKRAINE has faced the biggest missile onslaught of the war in blistering strikes from Russia. 

Putin sent up his Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 strategic bombers to unleash hell across Ukraine to show his wrath over Kyiv’s invasion of his territory in Kursk region. 

Russia unleashes one of the biggest onslaughts of the war to strike Ukraine amid Vladimir Putin’s fury over Kyiv’s invasion of his territory in Kursk regionEast2West

Power was lost in parts of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa regionEast2West

East2West

A series of very loud explosions hit the Kyiv region, around the capital city[/caption]

NATO ordered its warplanes to fly over Poland and elsewhere on the alliance’s eastern frontier as the gigantic attack unfolded.

In the first wave of attacks, explosions thundered in explosions in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Kremenchuk, Vinnytsia, Lviv, and  Ivano-Frankivsk. 

A residential building was destroyed in Lutsk, said the city’s mayor.

Russian missiles including  Kh-101s were “raining down on Ukraine”, according to one witness. 

Ukrainian air defences were active especially in Kyiv. 

Power was lost in parts of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa region.

Ukraine’s energy infrastructure appeared a key target of the blitzkrieg with Putin bent on crippling the country. 

Ukrenergo – the country’s national electricity transmission system operator of Ukraine – ordered emergency blackouts throughout the country to preserve power.

Water supplies were also hit in Kyiv and elsewhere.  

It was too early to know the extent of casualties. 

A series of very loud explosions hit the Kyiv region, around the capital city. 

The entire country was under an air raid from early morning, with strong warnings to take cover. 

Some 11 Tu-95 and  six Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were involved in the blitzing of Ukraine along with four naval vessels.

 MiG-31K warplanes capable of firing Kinzhal strategic missiles  were also involved in the strikes. 

Iranian-designed kamikaze drones were also unleashed on Ukraine. 

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s office,  vowed: “The desire to destroy our energy industry will cost the Russians dearly – [in hits on their] their infrastructure.”

At a weekend meeting with top war commanders including General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the armed forces general staff, Putin had clearly shown his irritation. 

Earlier, Putin’s US ambassador had made clear Putin would bare his teeth over the first invasion of Russian territory since the second World War.

Envoy Anatoly Antonov, said: “I’m telling you sincerely that the [Russian] President has made the decision.

“I am firmly convinced that all those responsible will be punished heavily for the events in the Kursk Region.”

Earlier today Ukraine had hit Russia, with strikes in Engels –  location of a key air base used by Putin’s strategic bombers – and Saratov. 

In both cities, tower blocks were hit. 

The Engels strikes may have been intended to interrupt the Russian missile strikes.