Russia hits Ukraine’s power grid with ‘massive’ attack on day marking Nazism’s defeat in World War II

kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched a nighttime barrage of more than 50 cruise missiles and explosive drones on Ukraine’s power grid Wednesday, targeting a wide area in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “massive” attack » the day when the country celebrates the defeat of Nazism during the Second World War.

The bombings hit targets in seven Ukrainian regions, including the kyiv region and parts of the south and west, damaging homes and the country’s railway network, authorities said. Three people, including an 8-year-old girl, were injured, according to authorities.

Russia has repeatedly shelled Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the war, which is in its third year and has cost thousands of lives. By suppressing power, Kremlin forces aim to deprive Ukrainian industry of its energy supplies, especially military factories, and crush the morale of the population.

Russian attacks have damaged nearly half of Ukraine’s power infrastructure since the start of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, officials say. The damage is estimated at $12.5 billion, including $1 billion inflicted over the past two weeks, according to the chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament’s energy and housing committee, Andrii Herus.

The massive barrages are also draining Ukraine’s air defenses of ammunition as kyiv’s exhausted forces wait for the final batch of promised Western military support to be delivered. Ukrainian officials are pushing for more air defense systems that meet NATO standards, like the Patriot.

Zelensky noted that Wednesday’s attacks took place on the day Ukraine celebrates the end of European fighting in World War II and equated Ukraine’s current struggle with that conflict, saying on the social platform only a free and united world” can stop Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last year, Ukraine changed the date of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism Day to avoid it coinciding with Russian Victory Day commemorations on May 9.

Russia damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the “blackout winter” of 2022-2023. In March, it launched a new wave of attacks, one of which completely destroyed the Trypilska power plant near kyiv, one of the largest in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the attacks as retaliation for long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. A Ukrainian attack hit an oil terminal on Wednesday, injuring five workers and starting a fire, Russian-designated authorities in the partially occupied Luhansk region said.

Russian bombings, while frequent, have become less regular in recent weeks, and Ukrainian officials suspect Moscow is stockpiling resources in anticipation of a major battlefield offensive that could take place within weeks.

The 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line has changed little since the early months of the war, but Russia has recently made modest but steady progress in some areas as Ukraine struggles with a manpower shortage. work and weapons.

National power grid operator Ukrenergo said facilities were affected in Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

Two energy installations were hit in the Lviv region, located in the far west of the country and far from the front lines of the fighting, according to regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy supplier, said the attack “severely damaged” equipment at three of its thermal power plants.

This is the fifth attack in the past six weeks targeting the company’s facilities, DTEK said. In total, since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the company’s assets have been attacked nearly 180 times, injuring 51 workers and killing three, according to the statement.

Russia launched 55 missiles and 21 Shahed drones overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Air defense shot down 39 missiles and 20 drones, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

Russian forces also damaged the station building and railway tracks in Kherson, state rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia said.

Also on Wednesday, five people, including three children, were injured in an attack that hit an educational institution in northeastern Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on social media. The city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said one of the children was in critical condition.

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