Russian “mass attack” hits thermal power plant – DW – 20.06.2024

A barrage of Russian missiles and drones hit a Ukrainian thermal power plant and other energy facilities overnight, further overloading Ukraine’s already depleted power grid, Ukrainian authorities said.

The targeted attacks of the last few months have drastically reduced Ukraine’s capacity to generate electricity. There have been rolling power outages and electricity imports from neighboring EU countries.

“The enemy attacked a number of “Energy infrastructure facilities,” the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said, adding that the Russian missiles targeted energy infrastructure in four regions, including the capital Kyiv.

The ministry said the attacks on Thursday morning had cut off electricity supplies to more than 218,000 consumers for some time.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said the airstrikes had caused “serious damage” to its facilities and injured three of its employees.

The company said this was the seventh mass attack on the thermal power plant in the last three months.

“We urgently need to close our airspace, otherwise Ukraine will face a serious crisis this winter,” said DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko. “My appeal to the allies is to help us defend our energy system and rebuild it in time.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the barrages had halved his country’s power generation capacity and called on his allies to send more air defense systems.

UkraineState energy operator Ukranergo announced on Monday further drastic restrictions on electricity supply in the coming weeks due to ongoing Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. The impact of systematic Russian attacks on thermal and hydroelectric power plants could be exacerbated by necessary maintenance work at nuclear power plants and adverse weather conditions.