Russian missiles hit electricity facilities in central-western Ukraine, increasing pressure on the country’s unstable energy system. Saturday’s airstrike was carried out with long-range missiles, including cruise missiles, and was the fourth major airstrike to target power systems since March 22. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private power company, announced that four of its six thermal power plants were damaged. Rescue teams extinguished fires at several energy facilities in the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, officials said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly appealed to partners to expand their defense missile fleet. – Despite this week’s breakthrough in US military aid – especially the Patriot system – faster delivery. He said Russia’s targets include electricity and gas transportation facilities, particularly those critical to gas supplies to the European Union. According to the Air Force commander, Ukraine’s air defense forces shot down 21 of the 34 incoming missiles. Officials said water supply was cut off in Zelenskiy’s hometown of Krivy Rief after a strike on energy facilities in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
A Russian court has ordered the detention of another suspect after an ally of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was arrested on bribery charges, TASS reported on Saturday.. The newspaper cited court documents stating that Anton Filatov, a subordinate of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, was ordered to be detained.
A missile hits a hospital with 60 patients in the northeastern city of Kharkiva woman was injured and buildings, nearby water pipes and power lines were damaged, the regional governor said Saturday.
Ukraine attacks Irsky and Slavyansk refineries in Russia’s Krasnodar region Starting Saturday and overnight, Ukrainian sources told Reuters. According to the official, a drone strike by SBU security forces caused a fire at a facility, and Russia’s Krzychevsk military airfield was also attacked in the southern region. Russia’s state news agency Tass said the Slavyansk oil refinery was damaged in the attack and was forced to partially suspend operations, citing an executive who oversees the plant.
Russia is sending more troops to Ocheretine in eastern Ukraine to step up its offensive, but Kiev forces have most of the village under control and are hoping that the U.S. arms supply will turn the situation in their favor, the Ukrainian military said. announced.. Russian troops have slowly advanced through at least six villages on the Eastern Front since seizing the fortified city of Avdiivka in February. Heavy fighting raged in Ocheretny on Saturday, but Eastern Command spokesman Nazar Voloshin said Ukrainian forces had the situation “under control” and had captured two-thirds of the village.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced plans for $100 million in military aid to Kiev. Saturday’s visit to Lviv will include short-range air defense and drones, with a separate deployment of air-to-ground precision weapons.
Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador after the Russian government announced that a subsidiary of Italian heating company Ariston would be placed under “temporary control” of state energy company Gazprom.. An EU spokesperson condemned the move as “another proof of Russia’s disregard for international law and rules” and called on the Kremlin to withdraw. Since the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has placed a number of Western companies under so-called temporary control, particularly the Russian subsidiaries of French food giant Danone and Danish beer company Carlsberg.
Russia announced on Saturday that it would require major exporters to continue converting the majority of their foreign currency earnings into rubles for another year. to support the country’s currency. Ever since Western countries imposed wide-ranging financial sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has imposed strict capital controls to support the ruble’s value.
