Four power plants hit in massive Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine

Overnight, Ukraine experienced another round of devastating airstrikes from Russia, resulting in significant damage to at least four thermal power plants, as reported by the operator on Saturday. Despite the onslaught of 32 missiles and cruise missiles launched from various fronts—air, Black Sea, and ground—the Ukrainian Air Force managed to intercept 21 of them, providing some measure of defence. Regrettably, several individuals sustained injuries at the affected energy facilities, prompting urgent repair efforts by DTEK’s workforce.

Prior to the attacks, air raid sirens reverberated across the nation, signalling the impending strikes primarily aimed at power plants, according to Kyiv’s Energy Ministry. The south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, the industrial hub of the country, bore the brunt of the assaults, with two power plants suffering damage. Additionally, attacks were reported from the western Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, while explosions rocked Kharkiv in the north-east, near the Russian border, a city frequently targeted in recent weeks.

The assault extended beyond infrastructure, hitting a hospital compound where buildings were damaged, and windows shattered due to the force of the explosion. Tragically, one patient sustained injuries while in her bed, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the attacks. Images released by authorities documented the extent of the destruction.

In a retaliatory move, Ukraine targeted Russia overnight, with its air defence successfully intercepting 66 Ukrainian drones over the Krasnodar region, adjacent to the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula. Despite Moscow’s claims of intercepting two drones above Crimea, an oil processing plant in Krasnodar bore the brunt of the assault, sustaining damage in a fire, fortunately without casualties. These events mark yet another tragic chapter in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.