Ukraine reports fresh air attacks on energy systems

Ukraine has reported large-scale air attacks on its energy infrastructure, with Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga describing it on Sunday as one of Russia’s largest assaults since the conflict began.

“Another mass attack on the energy system,” Energy Minister German Galuschenko wrote on Facebook as reports surfaced of strikes targeting power generation and transmission facilities across the country. Emergency power outages were implemented by the national electricity operator.

Damage to energy infrastructure was confirmed in Volyn Region, while Poltava Region faced emergency blackouts. In Rovno, the regional water utility warned of potential disruptions to water supply due to the strikes.

Futher south in Odessa, power outages were compounded by water service interruptions, according to the city council. Explosions were also reported in Vinnitsa and Lviv regions, according to local social media channels.

Officials in Kiev claimed  that missile debris had fallen in several districts of the capital.

The Russian Defense Ministry later confirmed the strikes.

Russia has previously targeted Ukrainian military and energy infrastructure. In April, Moscow’s Defense Ministry stated that its operations were in response to Ukraine’s targeting of Russian oil facilities. The strikes, it claimed, were focused on sites supporting Ukraine’s defense industry and did not aim to hit civilian areas.

Ukraine has also carried out attacks deep within Russia, including assaults on energy installations such as oil storage facilities and refineries, using kamikaze drones.

In October, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal highlighted the impact of long-range Russian attacks, noting that almost all of his nation’s thermal power generation capacity had been damaged. “The country must now rely on alternative measures,” he said.