Ukraine is hit by a countrywide power outage
Many cities in Ukraine were still facing power, heating and water supply cuts on Sunday, after a massive Russian attack on the country’s energy infrastructure occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday. This, according to Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grinchuk, “one of the hardest nights” since the start of Russia’s massive offensive in February 2022.
“It is difficult to remember the number of direct attacks on energy installations”he said on local channel United News.
Public electricity group Centerenergo warned on Saturday that its production capacity was limited “reduced to zero” After “The most massive attack (THAT) thermal power plant (Ukraine) since the beginning of the invasion ».
“Russia has once again targeted the substations that power the Khmelnytsky and Rivne nuclear power plants (West). This was not an accidental attack, but a deliberate attack.”reacted, at X, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha.
Reproachful “unacceptable risk” For nuclear security in Europe, he called for a meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be held as soon as possible.
On the ground, technicians worked hard Sunday to restore power. However, power will still be out for between eight and 16 hours a day in most parts of Ukraine due to blackouts, state utility Ukrenergo said, while repairs are carried out and alternative energy sources are deployed.
As with every wave of attacks, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had targeted it “Ukrainian military-industrial complex companies and the gas and energy facilities that support their operations”.
These Russian attacks, which in previous years have left millions in the dark in Ukraine, are raising fears of a return to harsh winters for civilians.
