Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine's energy, threatening Europe's grid
Russians launched a massive missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities in four Ukrainian regions, targeting energy generation and data transmission systems, as reported by Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
6:55 AM EDT, April 11, 2024
Halushchenko revealed that the attack occurred Thursday morning and affected the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Kyiv regions. He highlighted the significance of the onslaught on Facebook, noting, "The enemy is attacking our energy infrastructure again!"
Ukrainian media added that the early-morning attacks involved sophisticated weaponry, including Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
Putin's strategy to darken Ukraine
Wednesday witnessed another wave of attacks targeting civilian energy and transportation infrastructure in the Odesa region and a power plant in Mykolaiv, leading to widespread power outages, as regional authorities confirmed.
According to a Reuters report, these relentless attacks have severely damaged Ukraine's energy infrastructure, compelling the country to cease energy exports and start imports.
The decimation of Ukraine's energy potential
Ukraine was poised to become a significant energy hub in Eastern Europe thanks to its diversified energy system, large storage capabilities, and abundant resources.
Ukraine is a major energy force in Europe, boasting four nuclear power plants and ranking third in nuclear production potential on the continent. Ukraine's 15 nuclear units have a combined installed capacity of about 14,935 MW, accounting for over half of the country's electricity production.
The country owns one of the largest power systems in Europe, with nearly half of its capacity coming from thermal power plants, primarily fueled by bituminous coal. However, gas and mazut are utilized to a lesser extent, as reported by the Energy Forum. Nevertheless, the most potent facilities, situated in regions like Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro, are now under the control of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, complicating the energy landscape.
