Russia/Ukraine: Five Dead and a Million without Power after Wave of Russian Strikes
A million people in Ukraine are without power after Russian missiles targeted energy infrastructure.
As there is no electricity in the second-largest city of Kharkiv, the regional head notes that more than 53,000 households in Odesa are without power.
Ukraine's energy minister, German Galushchenko, alleged that Russia is attempting to instigate "a significant breakdown in the country's energy infrastructure."
Russia countered by stating that it was retaliating for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. The clashes have resulted in at least five fatalities and 14 injuries.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need for increased military support from Western allies, including additional air defense systems, in response to the latest series of attacks.
"There are no delays in Russian missiles like there are in assistance to our country," he wrote on Telegram.
Some 90 missiles and 60 Shahed drones were launched into Ukraine during the wave of overnight attacks, he added.
Among the targets was Ukraine's largest dam - the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia. Video footage appeared to show the dam on fire, but authorities say there is no threat of an imminent breach.
Social media photos showed a trolleybus carrying passengers, which was crossing the dam when it caught fire after a missile strike.
"At 04:30 all hell broke loose. Terrible fireworks and explosions. At one point, our house tilted," Valentyna, an eyewitness whose house overlooks the dam officials said.
A power line supplying electricity to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been reportedly severed. Ivan Fedorov, the regional leader, expressed that the power station is on the brink of a blackout, with seven buildings destroyed and 35 others damaged in the vicinity.
Reports of strikes were also documented in President Zelensky's hometown of Kryvyi Rih and in Vinnytsia, both situated in central Ukraine. Ukrainian officials disclosed that these strikes targeted a critical infrastructure facility.
Attacks on energy grids have been employed as part of Russia's military tactics against Ukraine. During the autumn and winter of 2022, Moscow conducted extensive strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure, resulting in widespread blackouts and leaving millions of people without access to heating, electricity.
The attacks left 17 million Ukrainians without a regular supply of electricity for extended periods.
But the head of the Ukrainian grid operator, Volodymyr Kudrytsky, said Thursday night's attacks were worse.
"Even last winter, attacks on our energy system weren't so bad as last night. Dozens of grid facilities have been hit. This is on a global scale."
Mr Kudrytsky added that the worst affected area was Kharkiv, where "Russia literally tried to destroy all the main energy facilities feeding the city".
