Russia launched a series of attacks on electrical power facilities across Ukraine, including the country's largest hydroelectric plant, resulting in significant outages, officials confirmed on Friday.
The Energy Minister described the nighttime drone and rocket assaults as the most extensive attack on Ukraine's energy sector in recent memory. The objective appeared to be not only to inflict damage but also to disrupt the country's energy system on a large scale, similar to previous attempts.
One of the targeted facilities was the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, which plays a crucial role in supplying electricity to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear power installation. The attacks caused a fire at the hydroelectric station, leading to the disruption of the main 750-kilovolt power line to the nuclear plant. Fortunately, a lower-power backup line was operational, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Concerns were raised due to the presence of Russian troops at the nuclear plant, with fears of potential nuclear accidents amid the ongoing conflict. However, authorities assured that the dam at the hydroelectric station was secure and not at risk of breaching, which could have catastrophic consequences, including severe flooding.
Additional attacks on energy facilities in the Kharkiv region resulted in blackouts, while reports indicated similar incidents in western Ukraine, far from the front lines of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, highlighting the deliberate targeting of critical infrastructure such as power plants, energy supply lines, and even civilian structures, emphasizing the disruptive impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.
