Russia Launches Major Attack On Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure

In this image provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, firefighters work on a site of an apartment building destroyed by a Russian attack in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. (Ukrai

Russia launched a devastating attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Christmas Day, causing explosions across the country, as reported by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. This marks the thirteenth major attack on Ukrainian energy by Russia this year, leaving the country in a precarious position as the conflict enters its third winter.

The attacks resulted in at least one fatality in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, with six others injured in Kharkiv, near the Russian border. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged in the assault, with seven missile strikes hitting the city, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

President Zelensky highlighted the deliberate nature of the attack, noting that Russia's choice of Christmas Day for the assault was particularly cruel. More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and over 100 attack drones targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with some missiles being intercepted and a significant number of drones neutralized.

Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, reported severe damage to its thermal power plants nationwide. This attack marked the thirteenth major assault on Ukraine's energy sector this year and the tenth on DTEK's facilities. The company stated that its thermal power plants have been targeted over 200 times since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

At least one fatality and six injuries reported.

Thirteenth major attack on Ukrainian energy by Russia this year.

Seven missile strikes hit the city of Kharkiv.

Ukraine's energy minister, German Halushchenko, condemned the attack, emphasizing the significant impact on the country's energy sector. Emergency blackouts were imposed in several regions as a result of the damage caused by the assault.

International condemnation followed the attack, with Moldova and Poland expressing solidarity with Ukraine. Moldova's President Maia Sandu denounced the violation of international law by Russia, while Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to a missile threat in western Ukraine.

This assault comes on the heels of a deadly strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve, where one person was killed and several others injured in a missile attack on a residential building.