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What the late November 2022 strikes revealed
Summary
A look back at the days before 28 November 2022, when missile waves, blackouts and new Western commitments shaped Ukraine's security picture.
What was the security picture in Ukraine on 28 November 2022? The days leading up to that date showed sustained Russian pressure on civilians and infrastructure, alongside a steady widening of outside support for Kyiv.
Strikes on cities and power
On 23 November 2022, Russian forces launched another wave of cruise missile strikes. At least six civilians were killed, including three in an apartment block in Vyshhorod, Kyiv Oblast, where 15 other people were injured. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that 21 of the 31 missiles aimed at the capital were intercepted before they reached their targets.
The strikes also cut power. Widespread blackouts were reported in western Ukraine, and Lviv was without electricity. Moldova reported what it called massive power outages, even though no missiles had hit the country directly.
On 24 November 2022, Russian bombardment of Kherson killed at least 15 people and injured 35 others.
Poland and the border
Air defence was also a concern beyond Ukraine's borders. On 15 November 2022, a Ukrainian S-300 air defence missile struck the Polish village of Przewodów, near the Ukrainian border, killing two people. The incident came during Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Ukraine initially accused Russia of striking Poland, while the United States said the missile was likely an air defence round fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian missile. Poland's Prosecutor's Office later confirmed, in September 2023, that an out-of-control Ukrainian S-300 had caused the explosion.
In the aftermath, on 22 November 2022, Germany said it would deploy Patriot surface-to-air missile systems on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine to protect Polish airspace. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said he had accepted the offer.
Support and political signals
On 23 November 2022, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that the United Kingdom would send three Sea King helicopters to the Ukrainian Air Force as part of a new £50 million support package.
The same day, the European Parliament designated Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. It cited Russian strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine, including critical infrastructure, hospitals, schools and bomb shelters.
Why it mattered
Taken together, the reports from these days show three connected strands: Russian missile strikes hitting homes and the power supply, Ukrainian air defences intercepting a large share of the missiles aimed at Kyiv, and partners adding equipment and political backing. The Patriot deployment in Poland and the British helicopter package were concrete steps; the European Parliament's designation was a political one, framed around the attacks on civilians.
