On Saturday, Russia unleashed a volley of missiles targeting Ukrainian power facilities, striking locations in both the central and western regions of the country.
This onslaught inflicted damage to equipment and resulted in injuries to at least one energy worker, according to officials.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko conveyed via the Telegram messaging app that the Russian strikes specifically targeted the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine, as well as the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk.
DTEK, Ukraine’s leading private energy company, reported that four of its thermal power stations bore the brunt of the attacks.
“The enemy again massively shelled the Ukrainian energy facilities,” DTEK said in a statement. “The company’s equipment was seriously damaged. At this very moment, energy workers are trying to eliminate the consequences of the attack.”
Galushchenko reported that one energy worker sustained injuries, while DTEK confirmed casualties without providing further details.
The commander of the Ukrainian air force revealed that Russia conducted coordinated overnight strikes, deploying a total of 34 cruise and ballistic missiles, of which Ukrainian air defense successfully intercepted 21.
Since March 22, Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure, targeting thermal and hydropower stations almost daily.
Officials stated that Ukraine has lost approximately 80% of its thermal generation capacity and about 35% of its hydropower capacity. The country’s energy system had already been weakened by a Russian air campaign during the initial phase of the war in February 2022.
Despite mild spring weather in recent weeks, Ukraine has been grappling with an electricity deficit, leading the government to implement scheduled blackouts in various regions and resort to emergency electricity imports.
Governor Serhiy Lysak reported that Ukrainian air defense successfully intercepted 13 Russian missiles in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
“Unfortunately, we could not avoid the consequences. Energy facilities in Dnipropetrovsk and Kryvyi Rih regions were damaged, fires broke out.”
Lysak noted that the city of Kryvyi Rih experienced disruptions to its water supply.
Meanwhile, in the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, firefighters were tackling extensive fires at multiple energy facilities, as reported by regional officials.
“It is difficult for the energy system to maintain the production and consumption balance. We have to help,” said Maksym Kozytskyi, Lviv regional governor, urging residents to save electricity, especially during the peak evening hours.
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