On Friday, Russia initiated a significant offensive against Ukraine, employing a combination of 99 drones and missiles to target the nation’s energy infrastructure, as confirmed by Ukraine’s armed forces.
The assault prompted air raid alarms throughout Ukraine, with 10 of its regions affected by the attacks, said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
This escalation in hostilities follows a series of aggressive actions by Russia against Ukrainian targets, including the capital city, Kyiv, and various energy facilities. These moves seem to be in retaliation to Ukrainian aerial assaults on the Russian border area of Belgorod, although such incidents have been a regular aspect of the ongoing conflict.
Previously, during the winter of 2022-23, Russia had aimed its attacks at Ukraine’s energy grid, causing widespread power outages. This year, while initial strikes were directed at Ukraine’s defence capabilities, Friday’s attacks appeared to revert to targeting energy infrastructure, specifically thermal and hydroelectric power plants across central and western Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the targeting of Ukraine’s Kaniv and Dniester hydroelectric power stations. He raised concerns over the potential ecological crisis, comparing the situation to the Kakhovka Dam destruction in June 2023, which led to severe flooding and an environmental disaster.
Zelenskyy also highlighted the risks posed to neighbouring countries, specifically Moldova, due to the proximity of the Dnister Hydroelectric station to the Moldovan border.
The attacks damaged three thermal power plants operated by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private electricity provider, prompting emergency power shutdowns in Odesa.
Casualties reported included five individuals wounded in the Dnipropetrovsk region and a fatality in a separate drone attack. A 66-year-old woman was also killed in the Mykolaiv region after a missile strike.
Additionally, the Russian border region of Belgorod experienced attacks, with Russia’s Ministry of Defense reporting the interception of 15 Ukrainian shells and subsequent damage to residential areas. A drone attack in Belgorod resulted in one casualty, according to Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
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