Ukraine Warns Nationwide Power Outages Coming Amid ‘Massive’ Russian Strikes

Large-scale Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has become an almost daily event, but Wednesday saw a “massive” wave of Russian missiles launched on vital power grid sites, according to Ukraine authorities.

Ukraine is now warning of nationwide power cuts. “Russians have launched a new massive attack on thermal and hydroelectric power plants,” the state-owned Ukrenergo energy operator announced. “There may be power cuts for household and industrial consumers across Ukraine… due to new damage to the equipment of Ukrainian power plants caused by Russian strikes.”

Energy facilities across six regions were targeted, with Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko saying, “The enemy has not abandoned plans to deprive Ukrainians of light” following “another massive attack on our energy industry.”

This latest attack saw at least three thermal plants belonging to the country’s largest private energy operator DTEK badly damaged.

Russia has sustained these strikes ostensibly in response to Ukraine forces’ ongoing cross-border attacks which have also targeted Russian energy. Moscow upped its air attacks on Ukraine following repeat Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. 

Russian authorities further said Wednesday that the death toll from a cross-border drone attack on the Belgorod region which happened Monday has risen to eight killed.

A drone strike on the Russian village of Berezovka, which lies less than 10km from the Ukrainian border, killed a group of workers for the agricultural company Agro-Belogorye and wounded 32 others.

“Another civilian has died from the drone attack in the Borisovsky district on May 6,” the region’s governor said Wednesday on Telegram.

The Zelensky government has meanwhile continued to complain that weapons from the West are not being transferred to Ukraine fast enough. Kiev is still waiting for a stalled F-16 program to assist with defending the skies.

⚠️ Confirmed: Network data show a major disruption to internet connectivity in Sumy and Kharkiv, #Ukraine, following reported Russian drone attacks targeting energy infrastructure 📉 pic.twitter.com/yIRSPI61cG

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) May 6, 2024

Officials have also been demanding Patriot missiles. While Spain and Germany have been the latest to transfer a few Patriot batteries, Zelensky has still warned that it’s not enough to defend Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure from Russian attacks.

On Wednesday, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal unveiled a new government task force to “coordinate work on overcoming the consequences of Russian energy terror.”