### Russia's Intense Bombardment of Ukraine Continues Amid Warnings from Putin

Russia has escalated its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, focusing on the country's energy infrastructure, leaving millions without power. President Vladimir V. Putin stated that these attacks were in retaliation for Ukraine's deployment of long-range American missiles on Russian territory.

Ukrainian authorities confirmed that this recent assault represented the 11th significant attack on their energy systems this year. Explosions were reported across various cities, resulting in widespread power outages and injuries to six individuals, according to regional officials. The Ukrainian energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, reported urgent measures were taken to introduce emergency power outages across the nation.

During a meeting in Kazakhstan with a Moscow-led security alliance, Putin indicated that these attacks might intensify. He highlighted that Russia was carefully choosing targets, which could include military facilities and key decision-making centers in Kyiv. Russia has been using these strikes to respond forcefully to Ukrainian offenses, stating that they may continue testing the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.

More than a million residents in western Ukraine, including the regions of Lviv, Volyn, and Rivne, faced power cuts following the attacks. Other affected areas included Zhytomyr in central Ukraine and the southern city of Kherson, alongside significant parts of Kyiv. Ihor Polishchuk, mayor of Lutsk in the Volyn region, also reported multiple hits in his city and nearby areas.

The onslaught involved 91 missiles and 97 drones targeting Ukraine, with the air force successfully downing 79 missiles and all drones. The attacks, described as a "comprehensive strike" by Putin, focused on 17 key targets and included contributions from Russia's Black Sea fleet at Novorossiysk. Before this attack, over 40 percent of Ukraine's power generating capacity had been destroyed, adding to the country's energy woes, as noted by Stanislav Ignatiev of Ukraine's Institute of Sustainable Development.

Experts predict that Ukraine will face significant energy shortages for at least three to four years due to the destruction of its power-generating capacity. Oleksandr Kharchenko of the Energy Research Center expressed concerns over the protracted limitations on generating capacity until new structures can be built.

These developments come as President-elect Donald J. Trump named retired General Keith Kellogg as his special representative for Ukraine and Russia, following a peace proposal that suggested a pause on NATO membership for Ukraine and allowed Russia control over the occupied Ukrainian territories. This dynamic adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.