Russia Escalates Attacks on Ukraine, Strikes Geriatric Center and Power Grid

Ukrainian energy facilities have come under a massive attack from Russia, in the latest onslaught targeting the country's power grid, officials say. It is the eighth time Russia has launched an attack on energy infrastructure facilities in the past three months, Ukraine’s energy ministry said. Air defence systems shot down 12 of 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia at several regions through the night, the Ukrainian air force said.

Russian forces hit a geriatric centre in the Ukrainian city of Sumy and targeted its energy sector in a new wave of airstrikes on Thursday, killing at least one civilian, Ukrainian officials said. A U.N. monitoring body said attacks on the power grid probably violated humanitarian law while the International Energy Agency said in a report that Ukraine's electricity supply shortfall in the critical winter months could reach about a third of expected peak demand.

During a daytime strike on the northern city of Sumy a Russian guided bomb hit a five-storey building, housing about 211 elderly people, regional and military officials said. One person was killed and 12 more wounded in the attack, the interior ministry said on the Telegram messenger. Rescuers helped disabled to leave the premises. Overnight, Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down all 42 drones and one of four missiles launched by Russia in the latest attacks in more than 2-1/2 years of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Russian forces have pummelled the energy system in the Sumy region in multiple strikes this week, reducing power in some areas and forcing authorities to use back-up power systems.