Russia starts striking energy facilities again: aftermath of attack
Some energy facilities in Ukraine's centre and west were damaged during a large-scale Russian missile attack on the morning of 21 September. This was the first Russian attack on the country's energy system in the last six months.
Source: Ukrenergo, the national energy company
Electricity was partially cut off in Rivne and Zhytomyr oblasts.
Ukrenergo substations and distribution system operators’ networks in Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, and Kharkiv oblasts were also damaged during the attack. Emergency repair work began immediately after the all-clear was given.
As of Thursday morning, 398 settlements remain without electricity due to the hostilities and other reasons.
Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, Chairman of Ukrenergo’s Management Board, said the power supply in Ukrenergo’s main network has been restored. Regional power distribution operators are working to restore power to household consumers.
Kudrytskyi added that this attack did not catch the power engineers by surprise, as preparation and repair of the energy system have been ongoing since the end of the last heating season.
"It is impossible to say whether this is the beginning of a new mass terrorist wave of targeted attacks on the energy system. Power engineers do not have such information and cannot predict the enemy's actions. But we have no illusions. We have read reports from Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence and know that the enemy is cynical and cruel, having crossed the moral and legal boundaries a long time ago. That's why we are preparing for any possible scenario," the company’s chairman said.
He gave assurances that everything that can be done to protect consumers and ensure speedy restoration after emergencies has been done, is being done and will continue to be done.
Additionally, preparations for the heating season continue: power engineers have studied the experience of last autumn and winter, they have response scenarios and are working closely with the Defence Forces and local authorities.
Background:
- Civilian infrastructure in the regional centre of Rivne Oblast sustained damage in a large-scale Russian attack on 21 September. Part of the Rivne district is without electricity.
- On the morning of 21 September, an infrastructure facility was damaged in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv as a result of another large-scale Russian attack.
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