Nine pipo die as Russia fire hypersonic missiles for new attack on Ukraine

At least nine pipo don die inside one new wave of strikes across Ukraine as Russia use powerful weapons, including rare hypersonic missiles cause di attacks.

According to report, Russia no fire Kinzhal hypersonic missiles – wey fit evade air defences - since di early months of di kasala.

Di latest bombardment na di most severe to hit Ukraine for weeks.

E cut power to di Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - Europe biggest nuclear plant - although dem later restore am.

On Thursday, Russian defence ministry tok-tok pesin Igor Konashenkov tok say: "High-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons, including di Kinzhal hypersonic missile system, hit key elements of Ukraine military infrastructure."

Na di biggest day of Russian strikes on Ukraine since di end of January.

Di Ukrainian military bin claim say dem don successfully shoot down 34 cruise missiles and four Iranian-made Shahed drones.

But e also say dem no fit intercept di six Kinzhal ballistic missiles – and dem no fit destroy older weapons, like di Kh-22 anti-ship missiles and S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.

"Dis na major attack and for di first time, dem use so many different types of missiles," Reuters news agency bin quote one Ukrainian air force spokesperson.

President Vladimir Putin don highlight Russia investment for ballistic hypersonic missiles, wey fit travel at more dan five times di speed of sound.

Di attacks hit cities from Kharkiv for di north to Odesa for di south and Zhytomyr for di west, with power blackouts wey dey reported in several areas.

Nuclear energy operator Energoatom tok say di strike for di Zaporizhzhia plant bin cut off di link between di facility and di Ukrainian power system.

For di sixth time since Russia don take am di plant over one year ago, di facility dey operate on diesel generators until dem restore di link later on Thursday.

Di director general of di International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) bin call for a commitment to protect di safety of di plant, e say im dey "astonished by di complacency" wey surround di successive strikes since di invasion begin.

"Each time we dey roll a dice. And if we allow dis to continue time afta time den one day our luck go run out," Rafael Grossi tok.

For di capital Kyiv, emergency services bin dey di scenes of blasts for di western and southern districts of di capital wia di mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, tok say explosions bin happun.

One missile also hit one energy facility for di port city of Odesa, wey trigger power cuts, di govrnor Maksym Marchenko tok. Residential areas also dey hit but dem no report any casualties.

Elsewhere, Ukraine military tok say dem don push back serious Russian attacks on di eastern city of Bakhmut even though Russian forces claim say dem don take control of dia eastern half.

Moscow don dey try to take Bakhmut for months, as both sides suffer heavy losses inside di war.

"Di enemy don continue im attacks and don show no sign to back down in storming di city of Bakhmut," di general staff of di Ukrainian armed forces tok. "Our defenders resist di attacks on Bakhmut and on surrounding communities."

Between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops don die or injure for di battle for di Ukrainian city of Bakhmut since e start last summer, Western officials tok. Dem no fit verify di figures independently.

Wetin Russia want from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?

Di struggle for di control of di Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant na battle within a battle.

Russia bin capture di nuclear plant over a year ago. Since den, Moscow don do two tins: station military units inside di big complex, and attempt to take control of di electricity dem dey produce for dia.

Zaporizhzhia na di largest power plant for Europe, wey dey responsible for generating 20% of Ukraine electricity supply before di war.

But e need power to function properly. Today mark di sixth time dem go cut am off, each disconnect dey create temporary sense of crisis.

Shortly before 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) dis morning, shelling damage di 750kv line wey dey supply electricity to di plant.

E no clear who dey responsible, but di attack come for di middle of Russia latest wave of attacks on Ukraine power infrastructure.

Engineers from Ukraine state energy company, Ukrenergo, don repair di line 12 hours later.

But di battle for Zaporizhzhia go still continue. Inside one letter to di IAEA two days ago, Russia tok say dem don successfully connect di plant to dia own grid.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of Kyiv Energy Industry Research Centre, say im dey doubt Moscow claim.

“E no dey simple. Even in peacetime, e dey take months,” e tok.

How Russia effort to bring down Ukraine power supply fail

Russia bin fire eighty-one rockets, and many of dem bin target Ukraine energy infrastructure. From Kharkiv and Kyiv for di north to Odesa for di south, Ivano-Frankivsk for di west and Zhytomyr for di north-west.

Na deadly continuation of Russia strategy to bring Ukraine power structure to a standstill. But as spring bring milder temperatures to Ukraine, na policy wey don clearly fail.

Ukraine biggest private energy company DTek say three of dia thermal power plants don damage dis morning - and dem accuse Russia of attacking dia plants 29 times since September for inside one campaign of "energy terror".

Ukrainians don endure bad winter of blackouts because of di repeated Russian strikes. But today missile strike na di first on civil infrastructure since 16 February and although blackouts dey, Ukraine dey for a far beta place than before.

Why Russia infrastructure strikes tragedy no dey work

Dis na di first big, coordinated wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine power infrastructure in almost a month.

While Russia don dey target some power facilities in recent weeks, Dis na di longest gap since di attacks start for early October.

Western officials believe say dis show say shortage dey for di kind weapon especially missiles dem go need to carry dat kain attacks wey go dey very effective.

"E dey take dem dat long to get a number of precision weapons togeda before dem fit mount packaged event strike," na how one official put am earlier dis week.

Ukraine military don also sabi how to catch incoming missiles and drones well-well.

Preliminary data suggest say Ukraine shoot down plenty of di weapons Russia use today, including more dan 70% of di cruise missiles plus half of di drones.

According to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of di Ukrainian army, dem scata anoda eight missiles wey e describe as "organized countermeasures".

Before today attacks, observers don begin wonder weda Russia go continue wit strategy wey be like say e no dey work.

Even wit di plenty damages Russia don inflict on Ukraine power grid ova di past six months, di kontri neva come down on im knees and most Ukrainians don dey used to power cuts, inconvenience plus di occasional danger.