🎈 Up Big Today: Find today's biggest gainers with our free screenerTry Stock Screener

Russia launches major missile attack on Ukrainian power facilities, Kyiv says

Published 12/13/2024, 02:41 AM
Updated 12/13/2024, 05:27 AM
© Reuters. People take a shelter inside an underground parking of an apartment building during a massive Russian missile attack across a country, in Lviv, Ukraine December 13, 2024. REUTERS/Roman Baluk

By Anastasiia Malenko and Pavel Polityuk

KYIV (Reuters) -Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities during the morning rush hour on Friday, Kyiv said, while explosions were heard in the Black Sea port of Odesa and other cities in western Ukraine.

Russian forces have been targeting Ukraine's electricity system for most of the year and it renewed its strike campaign last month, causing lengthy power cuts for millions of civilians as the war with Russia nears the 34-month mark.

"Russia aims to deprive us of energy. Instead, we must deprive it of the means of terror. I reiterate my call for the urgent delivery of 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T air defense systems," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote in a post on X.

An industry source told Reuters that Friday's attack had targeted Ukrainian power substations and that it had included more strikes on gas infrastructure than in past assaults.

As the attack unfolded, energy officials announced longer, emergency power cuts, but they did not make clear whether that was because of new damage or whether it was a precautionary measure. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Around a half of power company Yasno's 3.5 million consumers were without power on Friday morning, their CEO said.

The extent of any damage was hard to assess. After repeated Russian attacks on the power grid, officials reveal little detailed information about the outcome of strikes and the state of the network.

LVIV REGION TARGETED

Authorities in the western region of Lviv confirmed there had been attacks on energy facilities there and that the schedule of power cuts would have to be changed, implying there had been damage.

Russia says it does not target civilian infrastructure, but that it sees the power system as a military target.

Ukraine's energy system has already suffered 11 waves of attacks this year, which have caused widespread damage and lengthy power cuts all over the country.

The morning missile strike was preceded by an overnight attack involving dozens of drones.

© Reuters. People take a shelter inside an underground parking of an apartment building during a massive Russian missile attack across a country, in Lviv, Ukraine December 13, 2024. REUTERS/Roman Baluk

Russian troops, meanwhile, are notching up their fastest battlefield gains in eastern Ukraine since 2022 in their drive to seize the entire industrial Donbas region.

"The enemy continues its terror. Once again, the energy sector across Ukraine is under massive attack," Galushchenko wrote in a post on Facebook (NASDAQ:META).

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.