Russia Targets Ukraine’s Power Infrastructure
As winter sets in, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure. Last weekend, Russian missile strikes hit three of the five working thermal plants owned by Ukrainian company DTEK.
These plants are crucial for generating electricity and meeting the country’s needs. The attack is a blow to Ukraine’s already weakened energy system. Before the invasion in February 2022, DTEK provided about a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity needs.
The missile strikes on Sunday were part of a larger campaign by Russia to target civilian infrastructure during winter months. This strategy aims to maximize suffering and disrupt daily life for millions of people.
According to an industry source, three power stations were damaged in the attack, with one still offline. The two partially damaged facilities have resumed partial power generation, but it’s unclear how long it will take to fully repair them.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the hits to energy infrastructure on November 17, but did not provide details. Ukrainian officials usually withhold information about damage to prevent Russia from using it to plan future attacks.
Energy officials announced that there would be hours-long rolling blackouts across the country for the first time in months, bringing back memories of the first winter of the war when outages sometimes lasted for days.
Russia’s Goal: Create a Sense of Panic
Ukrainian officials say Russia has stockpiled hundreds of missiles to conduct more attacks. They urge against making doom-laden forecasts that can create a sense of panic and play into Russia’s hands.
Maxim Timchenko, DTEK’s CEO, called for more air defenses from Western allies to prevent further destruction. Prior to the attack, DTEK had restored about half its pre-strike capacity.
Thermal power plants, fueled by coal and gas, traditionally account for a third of Ukraine’s electricity needs. The country’s core electricity comes from nine units at three nuclear power plants in territory controlled by Kyiv.
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