Russia faces significant losses in Ukraine amid communication breakdowns and economic sanctions

Russia Conducts Large-Scale Air Assault on Ukrainian Cities

On February 7, Russia launched a significant air assault on cities in Ukraine, coinciding with a visit by French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin to Kyiv. The attack was similar in scope to one that occurred on February 3, when NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited the region.

According to St Andrews University history professor Phillips O Brien, the Russian assault had a progressive character, targeting areas near the front line and gradually expanding westward. On Sunday, Russia deployed 408 drones and 39 missiles, with Kyiv downing most of the drones and 24 of the missiles. However, the remaining drones and missiles caused significant damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that several critical facilities at nuclear power plants were affected, resulting in one plant being forced to shut down and others reducing output. Russia has been attempting to disrupt Ukraine’s energy supply since mid-January with repeated combined strikes.

The attacks have resulted in civilian casualties, including the deaths of two toddler boys and their infant sister in the eastern Ukrainian town of Bohodukhiv on Wednesday. A Russian drone destroyed their home, causing a fire that trapped the victims beneath the rubble. In another incident, a 14-year-old girl and her mother were killed by a Russian air strike in Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk.

On Thursday, approximately 300,000 people in Odesa lost electricity and water due to punishing Russian strikes, with about 200 buildings also without heat. Ukraine has attempted to target Russia’s airfields, including the Kapustin Yar test site in Astrakhan, which was reportedly damaged by Ukrainian-made FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that it had fired missiles at a Redkino Research Plant in the Tver region, describing it as a producer of dual-use goods. The plant is believed to be involved in the production of fuel additives and explosives. Ukraine has also reported damage to Russian forces’ communication capabilities, with SpaceX disconnecting their Starlink satellite terminals.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskii, stated that confirmed casualties from January stood at 31,700, which is significantly higher than recruitment numbers for the month.

Source: Al Jazeera