Ukraine plunges into darkness after Russian missiles and drone strikes hit energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
Delhi:
A huge part of Ukraine plunged into darkness on Friday after energy infrastructure was targeted by the Russian army in its latest attack.
Over 150 missiles and drones were fired by Russia in the largest attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure of the war to date leaving 1.2 million without electricity.
According to local residents, the country’s largest dam in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia engulfed in flames. Homes were also hit in the area. Zaporizhzhia’s local governor told on Ukrainian television that there were a number of casualties.
“There were a lot of explosions after the first one. There was so much flying above, one couldn’t realize. I had only one goal – to ensure that my child is alive. I rescued him from the rubble” the resident said.
The Ukrainian air force said the attacks were concentrated in the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia.
Russia’s defence ministry said the strikes were part of a series of revenge attacks aimed at punishing Kyiv for its earlier incursions into Russian territory and that they had taken control of the village of Myrne in Zaporizhzhia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been urging the West to supply more air defenses, condemned the Russian attack and said there was work under way to repair power supply in nine regions.
“Russian air strikes this morning were heinous, with the deliberate goal of causing structural damage to society’s life rather than military damage to our ability to defend ourselves. This is terror, by definition, without any disguises” he remarked.
“The strikes harmed over thirty people across the country. As of now, five people have been reported killed. My condolences to their close ones. A significant part of our energy system is damaged” he said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said earlier Zaporizhzhia’s nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, had lost connection to its main off-site power line, but has since been repaired.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK said some of its thermal power plants had been hit as well.
