Reports from Ukrainian authorities indicate a significant missile strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight, marking one of the largest aerial assaults by Russian forces in recent weeks.
According to Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, Russia deployed a substantial arsenal comprising 55 missiles and 21 drones, originating from both Russia and Russian-controlled areas. The assault specifically targeted power generation and transmission facilities across several Ukrainian regions including Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko, conveyed via Telegram that the aim of these attacks was to disrupt the country’s ability to generate and distribute electricity adequately. He emphasized the importance of conserving electricity resources in the face of such aggression.
Tragically, the strikes resulted in casualties, with at least three individuals injured, including an 8-year-old child in the Kirovohrad region. The injured were promptly transported to hospitals for treatment.
This escalation follows a month-long intensification of efforts by Moscow to destabilize Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, coinciding with challenges faced by Ukrainian troops on key frontlines, particularly in the east.
The delay in the approval of $61 billion in military aid by the US Congress may have exacerbated the situation, leaving Ukrainian forces at a disadvantage in defending against Russian advances.
Notably, this latest assault targeted thermal power plants operated by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest power company, marking the fifth such attack on its infrastructure within a short span. Damage to generation facilities was also reported by Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned grid operator.
Critical energy infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region were not spared, with two facilities in the Chervonohrad and Stryi districts suffering significant damage, as confirmed by regional military official Maksym Kozytskyi.
President Volodymyr Zelensky assured the public that necessary services were mobilized to address the aftermath of the attacks, underscoring the importance of global recognition of the situation and its implications. His statements coincided with Ukraine’s observance of the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, adding poignancy to the significance of the events unfolding.
