Russia appears to be stepping up its campaign to take power away from Ukraine, launching a series of major missile and drone attacks against critical infrastructure this week, completely destroying a large power plant.
The Trypilska coal and gas power plant was “completely destroyed” in an overnight missile attack on Thursday, according to Ukrainian state media. The power plant is one of the “most powerful” in the Kyiv region, and the entire facility, including turbines, transformers and generators, was damaged in the strike, the reports said.
The second power plant in Soumi was also hit by airstrikes.
The State Energy Commission warns that further damage to local substations from Russian airstrikes, especially in the Kharkiv city region, will further worsen the situation, making power transmission difficult and likely causing power outages. did. According to the government, “electricity substations and power generation facilities” have been damaged in “Odessa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv and Kiev” in recent days.
Kharkov Region, Ukraine – April 11, 2024 – Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP) is damaged by Russian artillery fire, Kharkov Region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
KHARKIV REGION, UKRAINE – April 11, 2024 – Workers are seen at the Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP), which was damaged by Russian artillery fire, in the Kharkov region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Kharkov Region, Ukraine – April 11, 2024 – Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP) is damaged by Russian artillery fire, Kharkov Region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Solar power plants generate electricity during the day, but of course they do not work in the dark, and conventional power plants are needed to make up for the shortfall. Therefore, power outages can occur in the evening when demand is highest and supply is lowest.
Ukraine claims the attack on the Trypilska power plant was caused by a new Russian missile, the X-69 cruise missile, which has so far been largely undetected, and which it claims has a range of 400 kilometers (250 miles) and can skim the ground. are doing. It is difficult to track and kill because it is located at an altitude of 20 meters (65 feet). According to the BBCThe attack, which began overnight into Thursday, was a wave of 80 missiles and drones.
This morning, Ukraine shot down 16 of 17 Iranian-designed Shahid attack drones in a further wave of attacks overnight into Friday, but debris from one fell on “critical infrastructure” and caused a fire. announced that it had occurred. Ukraine renewed its appeal this morning to Western underwriters for more air defense missile support, saying the previous day’s attacks demonstrated the need.
Kharkov Region, Ukraine – April 11, 2024 – Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP) is damaged by Russian artillery fire, Kharkov Region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Kharkov Region, Ukraine – April 11, 2024 – Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP) is damaged by Russian artillery fire, Kharkov Region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Kharkov Region, Ukraine – April 11, 2024 – Kharkov Thermal Power Plant (CHP) is damaged by Russian artillery fire, Kharkov Region, northeastern Ukraine. (Photo credit goes to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Ukraine hits factories and refineries 800 miles from the front lines in the heaviest attack yet on Russian soilhttps://t.co/oBZPuYuBWN
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) April 2, 2024
Air Force Spokesman Ilya Evrash told Ukrainian state television: “We cannot replenish our stockpiles on our own, we cannot manufacture these missiles on our own. That is why our partners need to respond to our needs. We know how many missiles we have and how many more we need.”
Russia said the attack was in retaliation for a series of recent attacks on Russian energy infrastructure by Ukrainian drones. As previously reported, Ukrainian long-range drones struck Russia in record length earlier this month, striking an oil refinery. The Kremlin claimed through state media: “In retaliation for the Kiev regime’s attempts to damage Russia’s oil and gas industry and energy facilities, the Russian military last night carried out a major air-launched and sea-based long-range precision weapons attack,” and Ukraine unmanned aerial vehicles against fuel and energy facilities. ”
They went on to say, “The objective of the strike was achieved. All targets were destroyed.”
Russia also said that attacks by Ukrainian drones continued, saying it was a normal situation in Ukraine’s drone war, with each side attacking the other every day, and said it had launched “dozens” of drones in electric warfare. It said it shot down a drone but injured two people this week in the sometimes contested city of Belgorod.
Drone and missile attacks on power plants and oil facilities are a matter of concern in both Kiev and Moscow, but the Zaporizhzhia facility, one of Europe’s largest nuclear power plants and currently occupied by Russia, is even more vulnerable. has been the subject of widespread concern. Last week, a Ukrainian drone strike struck Zaporizhzhia, prompting Russia to condemn and warn the United Nations nuclear energy watchdog, saying the fighting alone would “significantly” increase the risk of a nuclear accident.
worry https://t.co/lMAh0reU4h
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 9, 2024
