The Ukrainian government announced that the Russian military carried out a large-scale air strike using missiles and drones yesterday (8th), damaging around 10 energy infrastructures.
Volodymyr Kudritsky, CEO of Ukraine’s state power company Ukrenergo, told Ukrainian media on this day that “a number of important power plants have been damaged,” including three thermal power plants and two hydroelectric power plants.
In particular, he said, “The damage is quite serious, and there is a significant loss in electricity production, so even electricity imports from Europe cannot cover the shortfall in the energy system.”
Ucrenergo said that power has been cut off in 9 areas due to this air strike, and that it would expand the industrial electricity cut across the country from the time when power consumption is highest until 11 pm
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushenko said on Telegram that the strike was “another large-scale attack on our energy industry.”
The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down 39 out of 55 missiles and 20 out of 21 drones launched by Russia that day.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said the airstrikes were in retaliation for Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Previously, Russian officials claimed that on the 24th of last month, the Ukrainian military carried out a drone strike on energy infrastructure in Smolensk, Russia, and an industrial complex in the Lipetsk region.
VOA News
* This article refers to Reuters.
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