Ukraine’s energy facilities have come under a major attack from Russia, officials say, in the latest onslaught to target the country’s power grid.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said this was the eighth time Russia has conducted an attack on energy infrastructure in the past three months.
Ukraine’s air defense force said its air defense system shot down 12 out of 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia in several areas overnight.
Later Saturday, officials in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine said three people were killed and at least 18 injured by Russian guided bombs, with at least four explosions heard in the city.
Overnight attacks on infrastructure injured two energy workers in the central Zaporizhzhia region and damaged equipment in the western city of Lviv, officials said.
In the southwestern region of Ivano-Frankivsk, authorities also reported damage to homes and a kindergarten.
Russia renewed its campaign of attacks on Ukrainian energy targets during the spring and early summer, causing frequent blackouts across the country. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said Moscow had destroyed half of his country’s electricity generation capacity since it began attacking energy facilities in late March.
On Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said seven employees were injured and energy infrastructure, including a power plant, was damaged in a major attack overnight.
Ukraine is buying energy from the European Union, however, this amount is not enough to cover the deficit.
This means that most days there are planned nationwide power cuts to protect critical infrastructure such as hospitals and military installations.
Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, one of Ukraine’s largest private energy companies, said: “We urgently need to close the skies or Ukraine will face a serious crisis in this winter”.
“My plea to our allies is to help us protect our energy systems and rebuild in time.”
Mr. Zelensky has repeatedly called on Ukraine’s allies to send more air defense systems. He specifically requested 7 complex air defense systems called Patriots from the US.
Ivan Fedorov, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, echoed Mr. Zelensky’s message on Saturday morning in a message posted to Telegram.
“We can say with certainty: the enemy will not stop. Ukraine needs air defense systems.” he say.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday that Washington would place Ukraine on its priority list for Patriot deliveries, ahead of other countries that have ordered them.
