Ukraine war: hypersonic missile strikes target Kharkiv, Odesa regions

The White House has called a huge barrage of Russian missile attacks targeting civilian infrastructure - including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles - ‘brutal’ and ‘unjustified’.

Missile strikes have targeted Kharkiv and Odesa. Picture: Getty Images

The White House has called the latest barrage of Russian missile attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine “brutal” and “unjustified.”

It is “devastating to see these brutal, unjustified attacks on civilian infrastructure across Ukraine,” Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton told reporters aboard Air Force One. The attacks, which included use of state-of-the-art Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, have killed at least nine people, knocked out electricity for many Ukrainians and disrupted power at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

The strikes targeted Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region and the southern Odesa region overnight (AEDT).

On Thursday Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: “High-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons, including the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system, hit key elements of Ukraine’s military infrastructure.”

The Ukrainian military claimed it had successfully shot down 34 cruise missiles and four Iranian-made Shahed drones, but had been unable to intercept the six Kinzhal ballistic missiles.

“This was a major attack and for the first time with so many different types of missiles,” a Ukrainian air force spokesperson told the Reuters news agency. “It was like never before.”

For months Russia has been pummelling key facilities in Ukraine with missiles and drones, disrupting water, heating and electricity supplies for millions of people.

“The enemy made about 15 strikes on the city and region. The occupiers once again targeted critical infrastructure facilities,” Kharkiv governor Oleg Synegubov said on social media.

Fires can be seen burning near the City of Dnipro after Russian Missile Strikes. pic.twitter.com/Icra039GQS

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 9, 2023

“According to preliminary information, a private residential building in the Kharkiv region was hit,” he said.

Synegubov added that information on victims and the scale of the damage was being “clarified”.

In the region’s main city of Kharkiv, mayor Igor Terekhov said “energy infrastructure” had been targeted and there were “problems” with electricity in some parts of the city.

In the Odesa region, governor Maksym Marchneko said “missiles hit the energy infrastructure of the region as well as damaged residential buildings” following a “massive missile strike”.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties,” he said, adding that “power supply restrictions” were in place.

Air defence systems had been activated in the Kyiv region, according to the local military administration.

The governor of the western Khmelnytskyi region, Segiy Gamaliy, urged residents to “remain in shelters”, saying “the enemy is striking the country’s critical infrastructure”.

⚡️Governor: Russian forces strike energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast.

Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast early on March 9, regional Governor Maksym Marchenko reported. A few private residences were also damaged in the region.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 9, 2023

AFP