Russia carried out a “massive” missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Thursday, officials said. The offensive adds to fears that the Kremlin aims to cripple the country’s power generation capacity before winter.
Attacks on energy facilities took place across Ukraine
Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said in a Facebook post. He noted that emergency power cuts had been implemented across the country.
Nearly half of energy infrastructure destroyed
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Ukrainian authorities recently indicated that Russia is stockpiling cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, likely in preparation for a new pre-winter air campaign against Ukraine’s power grid. They have in the past accused Russia of militarize winter
.
Nearly half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed during the three-year war with Russia, and power outages are frequent. kyiv’s Western allies have sought to help Ukraine protect its electricity production by providing air defense systems and funds for reconstruction.
In recent years, Russia has targeted Ukraine’s electricity generation in an attempt to deprive civilians of heat and clean water supplies, both essential during the harsh winter months, and to break the morale of the Ukrainians.
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kyiv fears that Moscow aims to cripple the country’s electricity generation capacity before winter.
Photo : Reuters
The attacks also aim to hamper Ukraine’s defense industry, which now produces missiles, drones and armored vehicles, among other military equipment.
In recent months, the war has turned to the advantage of Russia, whose larger army is using its advantages in manpower and equipment to push back Ukrainian forces in the eastern regions. His offensive, however, was slow and costly.
Explosions were reported in kyiv, Kharkiv, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk and many other cities in central and western Ukraine.
The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrii Yermak, said in a message on Telegram that Russia had stockpiled missiles to strike Ukrainian infrastructure and wage war against civilians during the cold season. They were helped by their crazy allies, including North Korea
he wrote.
Western governments and South Korea say North Korea has stepped up its military support for Russia in recent months.
Half a million homes without electricity in Lviv
The head of the Lviv region in western Ukraine, Maksym Kozytskyi, said the attack left more than half a million homes without electricity.
According to the region’s governor, Oleksandr Koval, more than 280,000 homes in the Rivne region in the northwest of the country were without electricity due to the attack. The supply of running water was also erratic in the affected areas. Some schools in the city of Rivne have implemented online classes.
The bordering Volyn region was also affected, with 215,000 homes without power, according to the region’s head Ivan Rudnytskyi. All critical infrastructure deprived of electricity has been connected to generators.
Energy infrastructure was also targeted in the western Ivano-Frankivsk region, according to local authorities. Air defenses were activated there and emergency power cuts were put in place.
Local authorities ordered the opening of invincibility points
shelters where people can charge their phones and other electrical devices and cool off during power outages.
In kyiv, where an air raid alert lasted more than nine hours, missile debris fell in a neighborhood. However, no casualties were reported.
