Russia’s biggest drone hits critical Ukrainian infrastructure

KYIV, Nov 03 (Reuters): Russia launched a massive drone attack early on Friday, hitting critical infrastructure in the west and south of Ukraine and destroying private houses and commercial buildings in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, officials said.
The air force said it shot down 24 "Shahed" drones out of 40 launched by Russia, the biggest drone attack in weeks to target Kharkiv in the northeast, Odesa and Kherson in the south and the region of Lviv on Ukraine's border with Poland in the west.
One X-59 missile was also shot down, the air force said.
"We realize that as winter approaches, Russian terrorists will try to do more damage. We will respond to the enemy," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said of the attack, adding that air defences had been active in 10 different regions.
Officials say Ukraine is bracing for a second winter of Russian air strikes on the energy system, which they warn is more vulnerable than it was last year as it has less excess capacity and little in the way of spare equipment.
The air force said the latest drones were launched in several waves and flew to different regions in small groups.