Russian forces targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a series of strikes that resulted in the deaths of at least six people. The attacks occurred overnight on Thursday, affecting various regions, including the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia and the central Vinnystia region. Ukrainian officials reported that among the victims was a seven-year-old girl who succumbed to her injuries in a hospital.
Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, emphasized the importance of bolstering air defense systems and increasing sanctions on Russia in response to these assaults. In a statement on Telegram, she said, “Its goal is to plunge Ukraine into darkness. Ours is to preserve the light.” The situation remains dire, as regional officials confirmed that two men were killed in Zaporizhzhia, while a bomb attack on a thermal power plant in Sloviansk in the eastern Donetsk region also claimed two lives and injured several others.
Casualties and Damage Across Regions
Russian attacks extended to civilian residences, with reports indicating that the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region experienced strikes that killed one person and injured three others. These areas, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, are viewed as critical targets in the ongoing conflict, as Russian troops advance westward through Donetsk.
In a nightly video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy detailed the scale of the assault, stating that Russia launched over 650 drones and 50 missiles. He noted that Ukrainian air defense units successfully intercepted the majority of these threats, downing 592 drones and 31 missiles. Despite these efforts, the strikes did significant damage to energy facilities across central, western, and southeastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities announced that nationwide limits on electricity supplies would be instituted for both retail and industrial consumers. The ongoing attacks have also disrupted water and heating supplies in various regions, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation. In the western Lviv region, two energy facilities were reported damaged, while DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, indicated that its thermal power stations faced significant threats.
Human Impact and Ongoing Alerts
The ramifications of these attacks are profound, with a total of 17 people wounded, including six children in Zaporizhzhia. The situation remains tense, as air alerts persisted throughout the night in Kyiv, prompting residents to take refuge in underground metro stations. One mother, Viktoria, expressed the distress of having to wake her child during the night due to the ongoing threats. “There’s a lot of stress involved,” she shared, reflecting the anxiety faced by many families in the capital.
In light of the intensified attacks, Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, underscored the severity of the situation, stating, “This attack is a bad blow in our efforts to keep power flowing this winter.” He further commented on the sustained intensity of the assaults, suggesting that Russia aims for the total destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian and infrastructural consequences of these strikes underscore the urgent need for international support and a resolution to the ongoing crisis.
