Politics

Unrelenting Onslaught: Russia Unleashes 'Massive' Attack on Ukraine's Power Grid

Saturday 22 June 2024 - 11:45

In a brazen and relentless campaign to cripple Ukraine's critical infrastructure, Russia has unleashed another massive attack on the nation's energy facilities overnight. This marks the eighth such onslaught targeting the power grid in the past three months, according to Ukraine's energy ministry.

Amidst the barrage of missiles and drones raining down on multiple regions, Ukraine's air defense systems showcased their resilience, downing 12 of the 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russian forces throughout the night, as reported by the Ukrainian air force.

However, the attack was not without casualties. Two energy workers sustained injuries and were rushed to a hospital in the Zaporizhzhia region, while energy equipment was damaged in the western city of Lviv. Authorities in the southwestern region of Ivano-Frankivsk also reported collateral damage to residential buildings and a kindergarten, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the strikes.

Russia's renewed campaign of strikes on Ukrainian energy targets has intensified over the spring and early summer months, plunging the nation into frequent blackouts. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently revealed the staggering toll of Moscow's onslaught, stating that half of Ukraine's electricity-generating capacity has been destroyed since the pummeling of its energy facilities began in late March.

Saturday night's attack marks the second strike on energy infrastructure this week alone, following a major overnight assault on Thursday that left seven employees wounded and caused significant damage to energy infrastructure, including a power station.

While Ukraine has sought to mitigate the impact by purchasing energy from the European Union, these efforts have proven insufficient to bridge the deficit. This has resulted in planned nationwide blackouts to prioritize critical facilities such as hospitals and military installations.

In the face of this unrelenting onslaught, Maxim Timchenko, the chief executive of DTEK, one of Ukraine's largest private energy companies, issued an urgent plea: "We urgently need to close our skies, or Ukraine faces a serious crisis this winter. My plea to allies is to help us defend our energy system and rebuild in time."

Echoing Zelensky's repeated calls for more air defense systems, specifically requesting seven sophisticated Patriot systems from the United States, Ivan Fedorov, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, amplified the message on Saturday morning, asserting, "We can say for sure: the enemy will not stop. Ukraine needs air defense systems."

As the conflict escalates, John Kirby, the US National Security Council spokesman, acknowledged the gravity of the situation on Thursday, stating that Washington would prioritize Ukraine at the top of the queue for Patriot deliveries, ahead of other nations that have ordered them.

In the face of Russia's unrelenting onslaught, Ukraine's determination to defend its sovereignty and protect its critical infrastructure remains steadfast. The urgency for robust international support grows more pressing with each strike, as the nation braces for a potentially catastrophic winter if its energy grid is not shielded from further assaults.