KYIV: Ukraine on Wednesday said it was limiting power supplies across the country and warned of possible blackouts after a “massive” wave of Russian drones and missiles targeted the country’s battered energy system.
The intensified attacks came as Russia claimed to have seized control of two more frontline villages, escalating the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, describing it as “deliberate, calculated, and sneaky.” He highlighted that the strikes targeted civilian infrastructure rather than military installations.
State power operator Ukrenergo announced the decision to restrict power supply to industry and business from 18:00 to 23:00 due to the shortage caused by the Russian attack. The strikes, which targeted energy facilities in multiple regions, resulted in serious damage to at least three thermal power plants, according to Ukraine’s largest private energy operator, DTEK.
Russia’s defence ministry defended its actions, stating that the strikes were in retaliation for attempts by the Kyiv regime to damage Russian energy facilities. The ministry claimed that the strikes targeted energy facilities and enterprises of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal announced the establishment of a new government task force to coordinate efforts to overcome the consequences of the Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. The task force aims to prepare Ukrainian homes and businesses for the upcoming fall and winter.
Meanwhile, Russia reported advances on the battlefield, claiming the capture of two more frontline villages in Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. The territorial gains come amid ongoing clashes and casualties reported in various regions, including the southern frontline region of Kherson and the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
Meanwhile, Ukraine approved a controversial bill allowing prisoners to fight, in an effort to bolster its stretched army. Kyiv also expects long-delayed US military supplies to stabilize the situation on the front lines.
