Massive Russian Airstrikes Devastate Ukrainian Power Grid

In a severe escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russia has launched a series of devastating airstrikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure. These attacks, described as the largest in weeks, have targeted multiple thermal power plants and other critical energy facilities across the country. Ukrainian officials report that at least 19 people have been injured due to these strikes.

The latest assault involved 55 missiles and 21 drones, with Ukrainian air defenses managing to intercept a significant portion of them. However, the weapons that penetrated the defenses caused severe damage to energy facilities in central, western, and southern Ukraine, including a natural gas storage facility and a power plant in the Lviv region.

Ukraine's largest private electricity company, DTEK, reported that 80% of its generating capacity has been damaged or destroyed. This has led to widespread power outages and forced emergency shutdowns in nearly all regions of the country. The attacks have compounded the difficulties faced by Ukraine, which is already dealing with a shortage of air defense weapons and ammunition.

Ukrenergo, the national electricity company, has warned of further power cuts as they struggle to manage the damage. The head of Ukrenergo, Volodymyr Kudritskyi, emphasized the dire need for international support to repair the infrastructure and bolster defenses against future attacks.