Electricity plants across Ukraine were hit by Russian missiles on Saturday, according to the Kiev Air Force. Several regions of the country have reported power outages, and according to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s adviser, more than a million homes are without electricity.
Officials say that a total of 33 missiles were fired, 18 of which were shot down. Russia has been carrying out attacks against power structures since the 10th, which has imposed difficulties on up to 40% of the entire system and caused at least half of the thermal energy generation to be compromised.
Last week, Ukraine suffered the biggest Russian missile offensives since the start of the war in February. The action was a response to the explosion, by means of a truck bomb, of the Crimea bridge, which connects the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 to Russian territory.
State-owned Ukrenergo, which operates electricity transmission in Ukraine, said the damage from the latest Russian attack is “comparable to or may exceed the consequences of the October 10 and 12 attacks”.
Also on Saturday, Russian officials in Kherson called for the immediate departure of civilians from the region. The statement came after warnings of an imminent Ukrainian offensive to regain control of the city.
The notice discourages the use of boats to cross the Dnipro, an important river for supplying Kherson, and calls for all Russian administration departments and ministries to leave the region.
“Due to the tense situation at the front, the increased danger of bombing and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the left bank of the Dnipro River!”
Kherson is the only province Russia has retained since the invasion began. The region is one of four that President Vladimir Putin claims to claim “forever” as Russian territory. The Kremlin leader has said he is prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend what he considers Russian lands.
The declared annexation was condemned by Ukraine, allies and the United Nations General Assembly.
For Zelensky’s adviser, Mikhailo Podoliak, Moscow’s objective with the offensive is to create a new wave of refugees in Europe. Kiev’s deputy administration chief Petro Panteleev said the shooting could leave the Ukrainian capital without power and heat for “several days or weeks”.
Moscow acknowledged targeting energy infrastructure but denied targeting civilians.
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