On the night of Friday, the 22nd of March, Russia carried out its largest ever missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, hitting the country’s largest dam and causing power outages in several regions, reports Reuters.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia fired 88 missiles and 63 drones, but only 37 missiles and 55 drones were intercepted.
In Zaporizhzhia, the hydraulic structures of the dam of the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant (HPP) were damaged, as well as the dam itself, the state hydropower company Ukrhydroenergo said, adding that there was no risk of a breach.
“Currently, a fire has broken out at the plant. Emergency services and power engineers are working on site, dealing with the consequences of the multiple hits,” the company said.
‼️ The footage of a morning strike on the Ukrainian Dnipro hydroelectric power plant pic.twitter.com/XpcSrVpzuK
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 22, 2024
The attack was the biggest ever on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.
“The aim is not only to cause damage, but, as last year, to try again to cause a large-scale collapse of the country’s energy system,” he wrote on Facebook.
President Zelenskyy condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the victims, noting that
efforts were underway to restore the electricity supply in nine regions.
“The world can see the targets of Russian terrorists as clearly as possible: power plants and supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, even a trolleybus,” he said.
This night, Russia launched over 60 “Shahed” drones and nearly 90 missiles of various types at Ukraine. The world sees the Russian terrorists’ targets as clearly as possible: power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, and even a… pic.twitter.com/5dX2fAMMiE
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2024
At least two people were killed and 14 wounded, Ukraine’s interior minister said on Friday. Three more people are missing.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said some of the company’s thermal power plants had been hit by Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s nuclear energy company warned of a possible blackout at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant caused by a Russian strike on the hydroelectric dam that provides the external power needed to avert a disaster.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said that the plant had lost its connection to the main external power line, but that the back-up power line was still operational.
“This situation is extremely dangerous and threatens to cause an accident,” Petro Kotin, head of Ukraine’s nuclear energy company Energoatom, told on Telegram.
The Russian-controlled plant’s management said that the safety of the plant was not at risk.
Also read: UN: Russia consolidates control over occupied Ukraine with “climate of fear”
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