Russia pounds Ukrainian energy facilities in new air strikes

By Pavel Polityuk

KYIV (Reuters) -Russian forces pounded energy facilities across Ukraine with missiles on Monday, causing blackouts and cutting off water supplies in some parts of the country, Ukrainian officials said.

A major hydroelectric power plant at Kremenchuk in central Ukraine came under attack, the regional governor said, without making clear whether it had been hit or damaged.

Unconfirmed reports on social media and local media reports suggested hydroelectric power plants had also been attacked in the Kyiv region, in the southern regions of Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, and in the central Cherkasy region.

There was no immediate word on casualties but explosions shook cities including Kyiv, where local officials said 350,000 apartments were left without electricity, water supplies were affected and mobile phone systems were down in some areas.

The mayor of Kharkiv said missiles had targeted “a critical infrastructure facility” in the northeastern city.

“The Russian terrorists have once again launched a massive attack on power system facilities in a number of regions of Ukraine,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a senior official in the president’s office, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“Some of the missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft defence, while some hit the target.”

Hydroelectric power stations produced about 5% of Ukraine’s electricity before Russia invaded its neighbour on Feb. 24.

Russia has stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure and cities since blaming Kyiv for an explosion which damaged a bridge linking southern Russia with annexed Crimea.

“Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. “Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians.”

Russia has denied targeting civilians but has repeatedly hit apartment buildings across Ukraine.

Moscow has stepped up missile attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks after blaming Kyiv for an explosion which damaged an important bridge linking Russia with annexed Crimea.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Close Bitnami banner
Bitnami