Russia launches fire, severely destroying Ukraine's energy infrastructure

Ukraine's electricity production capacity has seriously decreased after Russian attacks (Photo: UP).

Kiev said on June 22 that Russia had launched a "large-scale" overnight attack on energy infrastructure in western and southern Ukraine.

"Equipment at the Ukrenergo facility in the Zaporizhzhia and Lviv regions was damaged," the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said. Two employees were injured and hospitalized in Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine said this was the "eighth large-scale Russian attack on Kiev's energy infrastructure" in the past three months.

Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv regional military department, announced that Russia had launched a missile attack on a key energy infrastructure facility, causing a massive fire.

Previously, on the evening of June 21, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that four TU-95MS strategic bombers took off from Olenya airport in Russia.

More than two years after fighting broke out, Russian missile and drone attacks have crippled Ukraine's power generation and forced Kiev to cut power and import supplies from the European Union.

Ukrainian authorities said on June 20 that energy infrastructure, including a power plant, was damaged in a major overnight attack that left seven workers injured.

DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said the attacks had caused "serious damage" at one of its plants.

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian attacks have destroyed half of Ukraine's electricity capacity.

Mr Zelensky ordered that all hospitals and schools in Ukraine be equipped with solar panels "as soon as possible".

“We are doing everything to ensure that Russia’s efforts to put pressure on our energy sector will not succeed,” he said.

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko warned that Ukraine "will face a serious crisis this winter" if Kiev's Western allies do not provide military aid to protect its energy grid.

Mr Zelensky has repeatedly called on Ukraine's allies to send more air defense systems to protect the country's critical infrastructure.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on June 20 that Washington will prioritize the transfer of air defense missiles to Kiev, ahead of orders from other countries.

Mr Zelensky said he was "very grateful" for the US move. "This additional air defence capability will protect Ukraine's cities and civilians," he stressed.

In April, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that the "scale and impact of this year's attacks are much greater" than Russia's winter raids in 2022-2023 when millions of people were left without electricity and heating.

Russian attacks this year have been more destructive, causing severe damage to energy infrastructure and some places could take a long time to rebuild.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nga-phong-hoa-luc-pha-huy-nghiem-trong-ha-tang-nang-luong-ukraine-20240622165023098.htm