Reports indicate that a significant missile and drone offensive on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was initiated by Russia in the early hours of the morning, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky, in a post on his X account, mentioned that the assault involved more than 50 missiles and 20 drones.
This incident adds to a series of Russian assaults on Ukraine’s energy network, which Moscow claims are part of legitimate military actions.
The attacks targeted seven different regions in the country and were carried out on a prominent national holiday that commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
In a social media post, Zelensky drew a comparison between the historical German invasion of the Soviet Union and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, labeling President Vladimir Putin’s government as “Moscow Nazis.”
The Russian defense ministry stated that their attacks were in retaliation to Ukrainian strikes on their own energy installations.
Although Ukraine has struck numerous Russian oil facilities in recent times, Russia has been relentlessly targeting Ukrainian power plants since the beginning of the winter season in 2022.
This latest offensive by Russia against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure commenced in March.
The successive waves of attacks have compelled Ukrainian authorities to implement rolling blackouts in various regions.
According to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest energy provider, at least three thermal power plants suffered significant damage in the attack on Wednesday – the fifth assault on the company’s assets within a span of seven weeks.
DTEK informed that their teams are actively working on-site to restore power, despite 80% of their generating capabilities being impacted or demolished.
CEO Maxim Timchenko stressed, “The electricity produced by these power stations is essential for millions of Ukrainians to maintain a decent standard of living. We will tirelessly strive to recover the operations at our facilities.”
Ukraine’s energy ministry warned that there could be energy supply disruptions for industrial consumers between 18:00 and 23:00 due to the damages caused.