The latest Russian missile barrage against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure has marked one of the largest such attacks in months.
Thursday’s strikes differed from earlier attacks, though, by including a larger number of sophisticated hypersonic missiles that are the most advanced weapons in the Russian arsenal. But just like previous such barrages it has failed to cause lasting damage to the country’s energy network, with repair crews quickly restoring power supplies to most regions.
FILE – Russian the Tu-95 strategic bomber fly over Red Square during the general rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade which will take place at Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 to celebrate 71 years after the victory in WWII in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 7, 2016. The latest Russian missile barrage against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure on Thursday, March 9, 2023 has marked one of the largest such attacks in months.
The precise targets for Russian strikes and the resulting damage remain unclear as Ukrainian authorities have maintained a tight lid of secrecy on such information to avoid giving Russia a clue for planning future attacks.
The massive weapon, which has a range of 600 kilometers and dates back to the 1970s, was designed by the Soviet Union to strike U.S. aircraft carriers and other warships. It packs a big punch thanks to its supersonic speed and a heavy load of 630 kilograms of explosives, but its outdated guidance system could make it highly inaccurate against ground targets, raising the probability of collateral damage.