Volodymyr Zelensky made the statement in a video address to the nation on Monday afternoon, the Ukrinform news agency reported.
Ukraine’s president said: “ "I want to thank the air defence forces, our energy workers and our people. The air defence forces shot down most of the missiles, the energy workers have already started to restore the power supply. Our people will never give up. Glory to Ukraine!," as quoted by the Ukrainska Pravda website.
More than 60 out of over 70 Russian missiles shot down by Ukraine
Ukraine’s Air Force said the country’s air defences had shot down over 60 out of more than 70 missiles fired by Russia on targets across Ukraine on Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
40 percent of Kyiv region left without power
Meanwhile, Oleksiy Kuleba, the governor of the Kyiv region, said 40 percent of the province had been left without electricity after Monday’s attack, the British broadcaster BBC reported.
Odesa left with no water or electricity
The western city of Odesa was left without electricity and water, while the entire northeastern Sumy region underwent a blackout, officials said, as cited by the BBC.
According to the governor of the Odesa region, Maksim Marchenko, besides the damage to energy infrastructure, civilian houses and civilian infrastructure were also targeted, with two people suffering injuries.
Two people killed in Zaporizhzhia region
In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, two people were killed after Russian missiles hit the village of Novosofiivka, PAP said, citing local officials.
After Monday’s barrage, a missile was found near the northern Moldovan city of Briceni, close to the Ukrainian border, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing local media.
As winter sets in, Russian forces have faced major setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine and have recently started intensifying attacks on heating infrastructure and the energy grid, causing power outages across the war-torn country.
For that reason, Russia has been accused by Kyiv and allies of deliberately harming civilians, who are increasingly exposed to heat, electricity, and water shortages.
Monday's barrage was Russia's eighth attack in eight weeks, news outlets reported.
Monday is day 285 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, pravda.com.ua, bbc.com, ukrinform.net