kyiv braces for power cuts amid reported missile barrage – RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Airstrikes have been seen across the country, with some successfully hitting energy sites, Ukrainian officials said
Ukrainian officials and media reported a barrage of Russian missiles on Thursday, with explosions reportedly heard across the country. The capital of Kyiv is facing further power cuts, its mayor has warned, while other cities have reported experiencing power outages.
An air alert was launched early in the morning across Ukraine. Blast noises, which some officials attributed to Ukrainian air defenses engaging Russian missiles, were reported in several major cities, including kyiv, Odessa, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk.
Kharkov city mayor Igor Terekhov reported that some of the missiles hit targets in his city, without identifying them. Kharkov region chief Oleg Sinegubov said there were four rocket hits and critical infrastructure was targeted.
Odessa region governor Maxim Marchenko reported that a strike over energy infrastructure caused a partial power outage in the province. Debris from an intercepted Russian missile fell on a residential building, he claimed.
Vitaly Klitschko, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital, warned residents of possible power cuts and urged them to stock up on water and recharge their devices. Lviv Mayor Andrey Sadovoy reported that 90% of his city was without electricity, forcing the suspension of trams and trolleys.
The Russian military did not immediately confirm the firing of a barrage of missiles on Thursday. Mikhail Podoliak, adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s cabinet, claimed in a tweet that Moscow had fired more than 120 missiles.
Ukraine has been experiencing power shortages since October, when Russia began targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The change in military tactics came after a truck bomb exploded on Russia’s iconic Crimean Bridge, killing three civilians, including the driver of the rigged vehicle. Russian investigators said Ukrainian military intelligence orchestrated the attack.
President Vladimir Putin later said it was one of many « Terrorist attacks » against critical Russian infrastructure that cannot be left unaddressed. The Russian military claims to select targets based on their value to Ukraine’s military capabilities, and that the damage inflicted has significantly reduced kyiv’s ability to deliver weapons and troops to the front.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko estimated last week that it would take six months to « stabilize » the country’s energy system, provided Russia stops causing damage to it.
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