Russia launches missile, drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure

In a massive attack Russia fired nearly 200 missiles and drones on Ukraines energy infrastructure on Thursday leaving more than a million households without power officials in Kyiv have saidAccording to news agency AP this marks Russias second significant aerial assault on Ukraines power grid in less than two weeks raising fears that Kremlin intends to cripple the countryrsquos energy production before winter sets inAttacks on energy facilities are happening all over Ukraine Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated in a Facebook post adding that emergency power outages were implemented across the countryIn some regions Kalibr cruise missiles armed with cluster munitions struck civilian targets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated calling it an insidious escalation Cluster munitions scatter numerous small bombs over a wide area posing risks to civilians both during and after the attack AP reportedUkrainian officials had previously warned that Russia was stockpiling cruise and ballistic missiles likely in preparation for another prewinter aerial campaign to target the countrys power grid The Ukrainian government has repeatedly accused Russia of weaponising winterAround half of Ukraines energy infrastructure has been destroyed during the nearly three years of war with Russia and rolling electricity blackouts are commonRussia receiving help from crazy allies including from North Korea ZelenskyyKyivs Western allies have been working to assist Ukraine in protecting its power generation with air defence systems and funding for rebuilding effortsIn the past years Russia has attacked Ukrainersquos electricity generation attempting to deprive civilians of vital heating and drinking water supplies during the harsh winter months and to break Ukrainian morale The attacks also aim to cripple Ukraines defence industry which is currently producing missiles drones armoured vehicles and other military assetsWhile Russia has seen recent successes in the war using its larger army to push Ukrainian forces back in the east its offensive has been slow and costlyExplosions were reported in Kyiv Kharkiv Rivne Khmelnytskyi Lutsk and many other cities across central and western Ukraine AP reportedZelenskyy urged Western countries to accelerate the delivery of promised air defence weaponry as Ukrainian officials have previously expressed frustration over delays in military aid Each such attack proves that air defence systems are needed now in Ukraine where they save lives and not at storage bases Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging appAndrii Yermak the head of Ukrainersquos presidential office said in a Telegram post that Russia had stockpiled missiles to target Ukrainian infrastructure and wage war against civilians during the cold season They were helped by their crazy allies including from North Korea he wroteRunning water supplies in Ukraine hitWestern governments along with South Korea have noted that North Korea has intensified its military support for Russia in recent monthsMaksym Kozytskyi the head of the Lviv region in western Ukraine said the attack left more than half a million households without powerMore than 28 lakh households in the northwestern Rivne region were also left without electricity regional governor Oleksandr Koval stated Running water supplies were intermittent in the affected areas and some schools in Rivne city switched to online classesThere were also strikes in the neighbouring Volyn region where 215 lakh households had no electricity regional head Ivan Rudnytskyi reported All critical infrastructure that lost power was switched to generatorsEnergy infrastructure in the western IvanoFrankivsk region was also targeted local officials said Air defences were activated and emergency power outages were implementedLocal officials opened points of invincibility ndash sheltertype facilities where people can charge their phones and other electronic devices and receive refreshments during blackoutsIn Kyiv where the air raid alert lasted more than nine hours missile debris fell in one neighbourhood local officials reported No casualties were reportedWith AP inputs