Russia Launches Major Strikes on Ukraine‘s Power Grid
Waves of Missiles and Drones Cripple Energy Infrastructure
The Ukrainian electricity grid suffered a devastating blow this Thursday, marking the eleventh major attack on its power infrastructure since March. Russia unleashed a relentless barrage of over 100 missiles and more than 90 drones, plunging over a million subscribers into darkness across western, central, and southern Ukraine. While Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 79 missiles and 35 drones, the strikes resulted in widespread blackouts in regions including Lviv, Volyn, Rivne, Yitomir, Kherson, and Mykolaiv.
These attacks come as Ukraine grapples with an existing energy deficit, exacerbated by previous Russian bombardments and a drop in production from its nuclear power plants, which were undergoing maintenance. The country had already implemented nationwide hourly power rationing to cope with the shortfall. Despite these challenges, Ukraine has managed to mitigate the adverse impact through electricity imports from the European Union and external support for infrastructure restoration.
Putin Cites Ukrainian Missile Strikes as Justification
“Of course, we will respond to attacks carried out against Russian territory with long-range Western-made missiles.”
These were the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who justified the attacks on Ukraine’s power grid as a direct response to Ukrainian long-range missile strikes against Russian territory. Speaking from Astana, Kazakhstan, where he is attending a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Putin emphasized that Russia would continue to target Ukrainian military installations, defense industry companies, and decision-making centers in Kyiv.
The Russian leader indicated that the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile, of which serial production has already commenced, could be deployed again. The escalation follows the first reported Ukrainian attacks using Western-supplied long-range missiles on the Russian regions of Kursk and Bryansk. The US was the first country to authorize Ukraine’s use of these missiles, followed by the UK and France.
President Zelensky condemned the Russian attacks, denouncing the use of cluster munitions – a tactic he labeled “another especially perverse escalation in Russian terrorist tactics.” The use of this banned ammunition complicates rescue and repair efforts for overwhelmed electrical engineers and emergency responders.
What are the specific implications of these ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for the civilian population as winter approaches?
## Interview: Ukraine Power Grid Under Siege
**Host:** Welcome back to the program. Joining us now is [Guest Name], an energy expert specializing in Eastern Europe. [Guest Name], thank you for being here.
**Guest:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** We’ve seen disturbing reports of yet another major Russian assault on Ukraine’s power grid. This is the eleventh such attack since March, correct?
**Guest:** That’s right. This Thursday saw a relentless barrage of over 100 missiles and 90 drones targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
**Host:** This must be adding to an already critical situation for Ukraine, given the winter approaching. Can you elaborate on the impact of these attacks?
**Guest:** Absolutely. These attacks have plunged over a million subscribers into darkness across western, central, and southern Ukraine. Regions like Lviv, Volyn, Rivne, Yitomir, Kherson, and Mykolaiv are all experiencing widespread blackouts. This comes on top of an existing energy deficit in Ukraine, further exacerbated by previous Russian attacks and reduced production from their nuclear power plants.
**Host:** A Financial Times report [[1](https://www.ft.com/content/4d583259-7565-4cbc-972e-ea77f4a76175)]suggested that Russia has already taken out over half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity. That’s a staggering statistic.
**Guest:** It is indeed, and it highlights the severity of the situation. This systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure aims to inflict maximum suffering on the Ukrainian people, particularly as winter sets in.
**Host:** What can be done to mitigate the impact of these attacks?
**Guest:** International support is crucial. Providing Ukraine with air defence systems to better counter these attacks is essential. Additionally, humanitarian aid, including emergency generators and supplies, is urgently needed to help Ukrainians cope with these energy shortages.
