Ukraine imposed emergency power cuts on Friday, March 29 in several regions after new massive Russian attacks “severely” damaged three thermal power plants.
In its daily report, the Russian army confirmed that during the night it had attacked energy infrastructure, but also Ukrainian “anti-aircraft defenses” with missiles, in particular hypersonic, and drones.
In total, ten regions of Ukraine were attacked and six people, including a child, were injured in these attacks, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said.
Three power plants affected
Three Ukrainian thermal power plants suffered significant damage after the Russian fire, Ukrainian energy supplier DTEK said, without providing the location of these facilities.
“The occupiers attacked three DTEK thermal power plants. The equipment was severely damaged,” the company lamented in a press release, specifying that its engineers reacted “quickly” to deal with the damage.
National operator Ukrenergo said it was “forced to urgently carry out (power) cuts until the evening” in three regions due to a “lack of production capacity” for electricity following the “massive” Russian attack. “Restrictions” were already in place in two other regions after previous bombings.
“Ukraine needs more air defense systems,” argued Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmygal, denouncing “barbaric attacks against the Ukrainian energy system.”
Ukraine lacks air defense
Energy Minister German Galushchenko had previously announced that a “massive attack” had especially targeted energy production centers in the Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava (center) and Cherkasy (center) regions.
The governor of Dnipropetrovk, for his part, reported that “several energy facilities” had been damaged there.
kyiv is asking its Western allies to send it more aid, faster. But in both Brussels and Washington, political divisions have hindered the delivery of weapons and the sending of funds in recent months. Ukrainian officials insist in particular on the supply of additional Patriot batteries. This powerful and expensive air defense system was first delivered to Ukraine in spring 2023.
President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke Friday of the need to “more quickly replenish reserves” of Ukraine’s air defense and said he was “counting on the quick reaction” of his country’s Western allies.
A “six against one” balance of power
Le commandant en chef de l’armée ukrainienne Oleksandre Syrsky, dans une interview diffusée vendredi, a de son côté relevé que l’avantage de l’armée russe en termes de munitions tirées de part et d’autre, était de “six contre un “, Some days ago.
According to him, with better air defense and more ammunition, Ukraine “certainly” could have retained some of the positions it recently lost.
Oleksandr Syrsky further stated that Russia had “significantly increased the activity of its aviation”, in particular using guided aerial bombs “that destroy our positions.”
The Ukrainian air forces claimed on Friday to have destroyed “84 aerial targets”, that is, 26 missiles and 58 Shahed drones of Iranian manufacture, of the 99 devices of this type launched by the Russians.
The Russian military sends missiles or drones into its neighbor’s territory almost every night, but their numbers are generally smaller.
Source: BFM TV
