Russia has launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving over a million people without power. The assault involved 90 missiles and 97 drone bombs targeting civilian facilities across multiple regions, including Lviv, Volyn, and Rivne. The Ukrainian government reported that emergency power cuts have been implemented nationwide as a response to the extensive damage caused by these attacks, which have intensified as winter approaches. Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko confirmed that this marks the 11th significant strike against Ukraine's energy grid this year, with the United Nations estimating that Ukraine has lost 60% of its power generation capacity due to ongoing assaults.
The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted a significant number of the incoming missiles and drones, but damage was still reported in major cities like Kyiv and Odessa. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the use of cluster munitions by Russia, labeling the attack as a 'vile escalation' of terrorism aimed at demoralizing the Ukrainian population during the harsh winter months. In light of the attacks, Ukraine has temporarily disabled several nuclear power plants to prevent potential disasters from further strikes.
This latest offensive follows a series of similar attacks, with the most recent large-scale bombing occurring on November 17, which also resulted in widespread power outages. The situation remains precarious as both sides continue to exchange fire, with fears of further escalations in the conflict.
