Russia carried out a significant overnight attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Saturday. The strikes targeted energy facilities supporting military production and ammunition depots, leading to extensive power outages and the ongoing struggle to maintain electricity in Ukraine amidst frequent blackouts.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that air defense systems intercepted 12 out of 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia at various regions. Despite these efforts, some missiles struck their targets, causing substantial damage and casualties.
In Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, Russian guided bombs killed three people and injured at least 18, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. He described the attack as a deliberate strike on civilian infrastructure, noting that the area hit had no military significance.
The Zaporizhzhia region saw two energy workers injured and significant damage to an energy facility. Similar damage was reported in Lviv, while in Ivano-Frankivsk, houses and a kindergarten were hit. The attacks employed long-range missiles launched from aircraft and ships, as well as drones.
Efforts to rebuild and protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are ongoing. The government and private energy companies are securing generators and gas turbines to support critical infrastructure through the winter. Ukraine is also working with European partners to increase electricity imports.
Dmytro Sakharuk, executive director of DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, warned that without restoring damaged plants and improving interconnector capacity, people might have power for less than four hours per day during the heating season.
The economic impact of these attacks is profound. The Kyiv School of Economics estimated that rebuilding the damaged energy infrastructure would cost $50.5 billion. Ukraine’s inability to export electricity has also upset its balance of trade, contributing to inflation and economic slowdown. The National Bank of Ukraine projected economic growth to slow to 3% this year, with inflation expected to rise to 8.2%.
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