Ukraine Hit by Major Russian Airstrike on Civil Infrastructure, Zelensky Denounces Attacks.

Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine this week, deploying hundreds of drones and missiles against critical infrastructure and densely populated areas across the country. The intense campaign has resulted in at least 9 fatalities and over 50 injuries. The central city of Kryvyi Rih was directly hit by a ballistic missile, causing severe casualties, with six people reported dead, and rescue efforts and relief work are still ongoing.

Since the outbreak of full-scale war in 2022, the Russian military has continued to adjust its operational and attack patterns. Russia has a massive military scale and a leading global nuclear arsenal, and maintains a high budget for defense. Its military system combines mandatory and volunteer service. In recent years, the Moscow authorities have maintained their massive war machine through continuous mobilization and strategic adjustments, frequently utilizing long-range missiles and drones to exhaust Ukraine's air defenses, aiming to cripple its energy network and civilian morale.

Facing Russia's relentless and concentrated long-distance bombardments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once again strongly condemned Moscow's brutality, urging the international community to provide more advanced air defense systems and ammunition to protect civilian lives. The Kyiv authorities pointed out that only substantial air defense support and lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons would effectively stop Russia's indiscriminate air raids on civilian areas, alleviating the immense air defense pressure on the front line and rear.

The international community has expressed high concern and condemnation over the latest attack. The United Nations and multiple Western countries have once again called on Russia to cease attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. However, in the absence of a substantial ceasefire agreement and with diplomatic efforts stalled, large-scale air raids like this may become a new norm in the war of attrition, with no signs of relief in sight in the short term, and humanitarian crises and infrastructure damage continuing to worsen.

For Taiwan, this event once again highlights the immense pressure exerted by precision strikes, drones, and ballistic missiles on air defenses in modern high-tech warfare. Ukraine's ability to build multi-layered air defense capabilities, ensure the resilience of critical infrastructure, and maintain defense capacity through international supply chains and ally support is of great value in borrowing and referencing, particularly for Taiwan, which faces geographical political threats, relies heavily on critical infrastructure protection, and has a comprehensive defense system.