Ukraine Again Plunged Into Darkness After Huge Tit-For-Tat Aerial Strikes

The last 24 hours have witnessed some of the biggest Russian and Ukrainian aerial exchanges of fire since the war’s start. The intensification comes just days ahead of Donald Trump entering the White House, soon after which he plans to pursue ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. First, starting Tuesday:

Ukraine’s military has claimed its largest air attacks yet on Russian territory since the start of the war nearly three years ago as Donald Trump prepares to take the presidency in the United States.

The Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday said it will retaliate for the large-scale missile and drone attacks overnight, and accused Ukraine of again using missiles supplied by the US and the United Kingdom.

Among the cities and industrial sites hit in that large-scale attack were Saratov and Engels, and daily life and schools were halted for Russians living there. Long-range drones were sent across the border to these far-flung regions.

Some of the energy hubs hit were hundreds of miles from the front line. Crucially multiple US-supplied ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles were used.

“Ukraine’s military said Tuesday that it also hit points in Bryansk, Tula and Tatarstan, with a chemical factory that makes rocket fuel and ammunition for Russia’s army among the targets,” a report notes.

Moscow has still threatened to again use its new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile known as Oreshnik, which is said to be unstoppable using conventional anti-air defense measures.

On Wednesday Russia’s retaliation come in the form of major aerial attacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, leading to emergency and rolling power blackouts across the country.

Massive Ukrainian drone strikes, some at long distances beyond Moscow…

At least seven regions have been impacted by blackouts, with Energy Minister German Galushchenko describing of the shutdowns, “Due to the huge attack, the transmission system operator is applying preventive restrictions.”

Locations as far away as Lviv region, near Poland, were hit by the new Russian missile launches:

Authorities in the western Lviv region, which borders Poland, said two critical infrastructure facilities had been hit in the Drogobych and Stryi districts but did not provide further details.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, but there was damage,” Lviv region Governor Maksym Kozytsky wrote on social media.

Missile alert sirens sounded Wednesday throughout the whole country, including the capital area. “Ukrainian authorities had earlier issued air raid alerts for the entire country, warning of incoming cruise missiles,” AFP writes.

Scene from Ukraine’s Tuesday strikes on Russian military and critical infrastructure:

1/ Ukraine’s largest strike on Russian soil yet hit critical military and strategic targets deep within Russia, from Bryansk to Tatarstan. Here’s what happened and why it matters: pic.twitter.com/2Dl4NsLYDK

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) January 14, 2025

“The warning said that missiles were headed toward the central city of Kryvyi Rig, the northern Chernigiv region, central Poltava region and southern Mykolaiv region,” the report continues, with the air force also confirming that a ”group of cruise missiles” was launched in the direction of Kyiv.

It appears each side is getting their major hits in just before Trump takes office, upon which diplomatic efforts to get the warring sides talking is expected to begin in earnest.