Major Assault on Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure by Russia
A significant attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been reported, as stated by leading Ukrainian officials. This assault has resulted in a fatality and power outages in certain parts of the nation's capital, Kyiv.
This seems to be a continuation of a strategy previously used, which is to deprive the Ukrainian population of power and heat during the harsh winter season. This assault on Ukraine's energy facilities reportedly commenced in the late fall.
The attacks have become a nearly daily event, affecting facilities that produce and distribute energy, including gas.
Statement from Russia's Defense Ministry
Russia's Defense Ministry released a statement, saying that a significant assault targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure was launched. The statement justifies this action as a response to the supposed attacks by Kyiv on civilian targets within Russian territory.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, referred to the strike as a cynical and calculated attack, with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles targeting everything that supports regular life in Ukraine.
Effects of the Attack
The Kyiv region's governor, Mykola Kalashnik, stated that it is Russia's objective to leave Ukraine in the dark, without access to water and heat. He mentioned that approximately 28,000 families in the Brovary and Boryspil districts are currently without power.
The power outage also affected over 16,500 households and 800 businesses in the Poltava region, as shared by its governor, Volodymyr Kogut.
A young boy of seven years old lost his life in a strike on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, with many others injured, as reported by the foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha.
Local authorities report that at least 33 people have been injured all over the Cherkasy, Kyiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Response to the Attack
Ukraine's energy minister, Svitlana Grynchuk, stated that workers are taking every necessary action to reduce the negative impacts.
The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, reported that at least 12 people were injured in the city during the assault, which also resulted in power cuts. He shared that the left bank of the capital is without power and the city is also facing issues with the water supply.
A local of Kyiv, Mykyta Varenya, a 26-year-old coffee shop owner, shared that he had to resort to using a generator due to the recent strikes. He mentioned that the outages have had a significant impact on his business.
Olena, a 68-year-old pensioner, mentioned that she had to line up at a local store to purchase water after her property's running water was cut off.
Video footage from Ukraine's emergency service showcases firefighters in Kyiv working to extinguish a large fire at a construction site and helping residents to safety.
Damage to Energy Producer
Ukraine's largest private energy producer reported that its facilities were targeted in the attack, resulting in injury to an energy worker and severe damage to equipment. This marks the third attack on these facilities within a week.
Restoration Efforts
Ukraine's Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, mentioned that repair crews are working in all regions to restore power after the air raid alerts have ceased. She added that the water supply in Kyiv and the Kirovohrad region should be fully restored by the day's end.
Svyrydenko highlighted that this attack was one of the largest specifically targeting energy infrastructure, with a significant portion of the fired missiles being ballistic missiles. She noted that there is significant damage to the energy infrastructure.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, four individuals were injured, as reported by its governor, Sehiy Lysak. He added that 60 drones were intercepted over the region.
Last Christmas, half a million households were left without heating in the Kharkiv region in temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit).