Russia launches more than 50 missiles in air attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Ukraine's military and energy authorities reported extensive damage to multiple energy infrastructure sites following a significant aerial assault by Russia on Wednesday.

German Galushchenko, Ukraine's energy minister, revealed via his Telegram channel that the assault targeted power generation and transmission facilities across regions including Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia. He condemned it as yet another aggressive strike on their vital energy sector.

President Volodymyr Zelensky decried the attack as an act of aggression by "Nazi Putin," stating that more than 50 missiles and over 20 Shahed drones were unleashed on Ukraine on a day Europe commemorated the victory over Nazism in World War II.

Zelensky further detailed the targets, emphasizing that despite the destruction aimed at cities like Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, and Ivano-Frankivsk, efforts were underway to manage the aftermath. He urged global recognition of the perpetrators and cautioned against the rise of new forms of fascism.

Despite the severity of the assault, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration, assured that all missiles directed at the capital were neutralized, preventing significant damage or casualties.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine's national grid operator, acknowledged damage inflicted by Russian strikes on one of its central facilities but withheld detailed information to safeguard against revealing vulnerabilities to further attacks.

Reports from the Poltava region indicated a drone strike causing a fire at an energy infrastructure facility, though casualties were not immediately reported.

In Vinnytsia and Zaporizhzhia, governors confirmed damage to critical civilian infrastructure without elaborating on specifics.

While Zaporizhzhia lies in close proximity to the frontline, the other targeted cities are located far from the eastern and southeastern conflict zones in Ukraine.

Regional authorities highlighted the engagement of air defense systems in repelling the assault over Lviv, near the NATO-member Poland, where several explosions were reported.

This onslaught follows a pattern of Russian aggression, including previous attacks on Ukrainian power facilities, amid its full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.