Russia's recent aerial attacks on Ukrainian targets, which the Russian Defense Ministry and President Vladimir Putin announced on November 28, were "horrific" and "outrageous," US President Joe Biden said in a statement published on the White House website.
"Overnight, Russia carried out a horrific aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities report that Russia launched nearly 200 missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, depriving Ukrainian civilians of access to electricity. This attack is outrageous and serves as yet another reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression. On this day, my message to the Ukrainian people is clear: the United States stands with you," Biden said in a statement.
The United States began to prioritize exports of air defense systems so that they would be sent to Ukraine in the first place, Biden added.
"The Department of Defense has delivered hundreds of additional air defense missiles to Ukraine, as a consequence of this decision, and further deliveries are underway," he stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 28 that the Russian forces struck numerous targets in Ukraine on the night of November 28 by launching 90 missiles and more than 100 drones.
Russia conducted the massive strike in response to Ukraine's recent ATACMS missile strikes on Russian territory. The Russian forces hit 17 targets in Ukraine — defense industry facilities, military facilities, and their support systems, Putin said.
The Russian Defense Ministry specified that a total of about 100 missiles of various types and 466 Geran-2 unmanned aerial vehicles had been used against targets in Ukraine during the recent days.
The attack affected 14 regions of Ukraine, power outages were reported throughout the country, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service said. Ukraine's oil and gas company Naftogaz reported damage to its facilities as well.
The Russian Defense Ministry persistently says that the Russian forces strike only military and energy facilities, as well as their infrastructure.
During the week from November 23 to 29, the Russian troops carried out one massive and 32 group strikes with high-precision air, sea, and land-based weapons. Attack drones were also used in the strike, the Russian Defense Ministry said during a daily briefing on the situation in the special military operation zone.
As specified by the department, the strikes were carried out against energy facilities that ensure the operation of Ukraine's military-industrial complex. Russia also targeted infrastructure of military airfields, and assembly and storage sites for unmanned aerial vehicles and surface vehicles. Arsenals, ammunition depots, deployment sites of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, foreign instructors, technical specialists, and mercenaries were also attacked, the ministry said.
In addition, the Russian army destroyed two launchers with experimental Grom-2 ballistic missiles, as well as a launcher and a transport and loading vehicle of the Neptune anti-ship complex.
All the targets were successfully hit, the Defence Ministry stated.