THE Russia launched approx 100 missiles and drones against its energy infrastructure Ukrainian during the night of Friday to Saturday, Ukrainian officials said today.

According to Ukrainian Air Force, “the enemy launched 53 missiles of various types and 47 attack drones.” He also added that he shot down 35 missiles and 46 drones.

Russian forces have intensified airstrikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, resulting in blackouts, usage restrictions and severe damage to the power grid.

During last night’s attack, thermal power plants were affected, DTEK, the network operator, clarified on Telegram, without giving any other details.

“It was another extremely difficult night for the energy sector in Ukraine,” the company added. “The enemy hit two of our thermoelectric plants. Equipment was seriously damaged.”

This was the sixth large-scale attack Russian forces have launched since March against DTEK thermal plants, according to the company.

THE Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko specified that Russian forces targeted infrastructure in five provinces: the Donetskthe Dnipropetrovskthe Kirovogradthe Ivano-Frankivsk and the Zaporizhia.

The ministry warned that restrictions on the use of electricity are likely to be imposed this evening.

For his part, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky he estimated that Moscow is trying to “exploit” the lack of “resoluteness” of his country’s key Western allies and repeated his request to give Kiev more air defense systems.

“Russia’s main goal is to normalize fear, to take advantage of the lack of adequate air defense and resolve from Ukraine’s partners,” he wrote on social media.

“This is a test of the humanity and determination of the free world,” Zelensky stressed. “Either we will unite against this test, or the world will plunge (…) into even greater chaos.”