Russian Federation Launches the Largest-Ever Attack on Ukraine’s Energy Sector since the War Started

Ukraine was attacked by about 90 missiles and 60 drones. According to the energy minister, generation facilities, power transmission and distribution systems in several regions were damaged. Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine on the night of Friday, 22 March, which Kyiv called “the most large-scale attack on energy facilities”. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, about 90 missiles of different types and 60 drones attacked the facilities across the country’s territory. According to the AFU, air defense forces shot down 37 missiles and 55 drones. However, as Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko pointed out, generation facilities, power transmission and distribution systems in different regions were damaged. Attack on Dnipro Hydroelectric Station There were more than 15 strikes on Zaporizhzhia. There are hits on Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant, Dnipro Hydroelectric Station. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, a fire broke out at the station - emergency services and power engineers are working on the spot. According to the head of Ukrhydroenergo, Ihor Syrota, there is a risk of losing the plant as a result of the strikes. According to his information, there were two direct hits - in HPP-1 and HPP-2. “HPP-2 is in critical condition. HPP-1 is also not working, so we are doing everything to raise the gates and dump the water, because, alas, through the station we will not be able to dump this water,” - Strana.ua quotes the head of Ukrhydroenergo. He said there was no threat of a dam breach and there were no fatalities among the station staff. According to the adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andryushchenko, one missile hit a trolleybus crossing the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station dam. There are casualties among the passengers. Zaporizhzhia NPP on the verge of blackout During a massive missile attack on Ukraine, the state enterprise National Nuclear Power Generating Company “Energoatom” reports, the external overhead line overhead line VL-750kV “Dneprovskaya” was switched off. It connects the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with the united energy system of Ukraine. Currently, Zaporizhzhia NPP is connected to the Ukrainian energy system via the VL-330kV transmission line “Zaporizhzhia TPP – Ferrosplavnaya”, which was repaired by Ukrainian power engineers only last week after another Russian shelling. Light problems in several oblasts More than 15 explosions were heard in Kharkiv, after which the city lost light and experienced problems with the internet. According to the city authorities, there were also casualties among civilians. According to the mayor Ihor Terekhov, there are already problems with water supply in Kharkiv due to the de-energization of pumping substations. In addition, electric transport will not be operating in the morning - transport will be provided by buses. There is a hit to critical infrastructure facilities in Kryvyi Rih. Schedules of emergency power cuts are being introduced. There are also hits on critical infrastructure in Vinnytsia oblast. Light failures are reported in Khmelnytskyi, where two people have reportedly died, and in Dnipro. Ukraine needs more air defense systems “Terrorists have remembered last year's tactics and continue their war on civilians,” commented the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, on the night attack. “We need more air defence systems. And as soon as possible. The world should not just watch,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.