Shmyhal: Russia has destroyed 80% of Ukraineʼs thermal power plants in recent weeks

Author:
Olha Bereziuk
Date:

In recent weeks, the Russians have destroyed 80% of Ukraineʼs thermal power plants with strikes.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said this in an interview with ERR.

According to him, the Russian Federation continues its energy terror — in the last few weeks alone, the Russians have destroyed more than six gigawatts of Ukrainian power grid capacity.

"This is both hydropower and coal power. They continue to fire missiles at our energy facilities, destroy transformers and generators. Unfortunately, Russia has destroyed 80% of thermal power plants in recent weeks," Shmyhal noted.

The Prime Minister added that Ukraine is looking for equipment from its partners that would help restore the affected units of power plants. A decentralized system of energy supply to the population is also being created.

Attacks on the Ukrainian energy industry

On March 22, the Russian occupiers launched the largest combined attack on the Ukrainian energy system since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. There was a blackout in Kharkiv. The occupiers launched more than 60 drones and almost 90 missiles of various types across Ukraine. Air defense forces shot down 92 targets out of 151. Among other things, the occupiers hit the Dnipro HPP, but there is no threat of a dam breach. Both stations that are part of the Dnipro HPP (HPP-1 and HPP-2) stopped working, while HPP-2 suffered critical damage.

As a result of the attack, emergency and stabilization blackouts were introduced in Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Donetsk region.

On the night of March 29, Russia launched a powerful air missile attack on the facilities of the fuel and energy sector of Ukraine. The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the enemy used various types of missiles and attack drones, a total of 99 means of air attack. Energy infrastructure was damaged in Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Cherkasy and Chernivtsi regions. The targets of the occupiers were also the Kaniv and Dniester hydropower plants located in the Cherkasy and Chernivtsi regions.