Russian Airstrikes Devastate Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

In the last 24 hours, Russian airstrikes have targeted energy facilities and infrastructure in nine Ukrainian regions, including Lviv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv. The strikes have led to emergency energy cut-offs and severe damage. Ukrainian forces shot down several missiles and drones during the attacks.

Russian airstrikes have struck energy facilities and infrastructure across nine Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian officials reported on Wednesday. The attacks targeted areas including Lviv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv, among others, according to statements made through the energy ministry's Telegram channel.

The scale of the damage to Ukraine's energy grid remains unspecified. The current conflict, initiated by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has severely battered the grid. Ukraine's air force confirmed the interception of seven out of 13 missiles and 22 out of 29 drones during this latest salvo.

Due to reduced generating capacity following a major Russian air strike on the energy sector on Aug. 26, the Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenergo announced increased emergency cut-offs. Additional missile strikes targeted infrastructure in the western regions of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Volyn, far from east and south battlefronts. Overnight attacks in Lviv killed seven and damaged historic buildings, while a strike on a military institute in Poltava claimed at least 50 lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)