Russia’s ‘mass missile attack’ across Ukraine kills 6 as Zelenskyy rips Putin’s ‘pathetic tactics’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is condemning the Russian military’s “pathetic tactics” after Putin’s forces on Thursday launched what Zelensky described as a “massive missile strike across the country” targeting the capital Kiev and 10 other regions .

Reports say the attacks – which affected residential buildings and infrastructure, including a power outage at the troubled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant – have so far killed at least six people.

“The enemy launched 81 rockets, trying to intimidate Ukrainians again, returning to their pathetic tactics,” Zelensky wrote on Facebook, describing the barrage as “a rough night”.

Zelensky said, “The occupiers can only terrorize civilians.” “That’s all they are capable of. But it will not help them. The responsibility for everything committed will not pass to them.”

Russia launches major missile barrage in Ukraine, hits Kiev and nuclear power plant

Rescuers sift through the rubble of residential buildings that were destroyed by Russian missile strikes in the Lviv region on March 9. (Reuters/State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Lviv region)

According to The Associated Press, a Ukrainian military official said 34 Russian rockets and four of the eight exploding drones were intercepted.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the missiles were launched last week in retaliation for an incident near the Ukraine-Russia border in which Moscow alleged Ukrainian saboteurs entered the Bryansk region and opened fire on villagers. In which two civilians were killed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted by AP as saying, “They saw a civilian vehicle with civilians, including children, and they fired at them,” although Ukraine has denied responsibility.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday that the overnight missile attacks “had no military purpose” and were “just Russian vandalism” for Putin.

“The day will come when Putin and his associates will be held accountable by a special tribunal,” Kuleba tweeted.

Three rockets launched against Ukraine from Russia’s Belgorod region are seen in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 9. (AP/Vadim Belikov)

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The AP reports that the attacks caused severe damage to three Ukrainian power stations, knocked out heating for half of Kiev’s population and left the country’s second largest city, Kharkiv, without water and other necessities.

The attacks also cut power at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, leading International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Grossi to warn the IAEA’s board of governors that “one day our luck will shine.”

“Yet Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is running on emergency diesel – the last line of defence. This is the sixth time – I say it again the sixth time – that the ZNPP has lost all off-site power and is unable to operate in this emergency mode,” Grossi said on Thursday.

People take shelter inside a metro station during a Russian missile attack in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, March 9. (Reuters/Alina Yarish)

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“Let me remind you – this is the largest nuclear power station in Europe. What are we doing? How can we sit in this room this morning and let this happen?” He added. “This cannot continue… We are the IAEA, we are made to look after nuclear security.”

“Every time we’re rolling a dice,” Grossi said. “And if we allow this to continue time after time our luck will one day run out.