Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered a concerning update about the nationwide Russian bombings of his country. He stated that blackouts are occurring everywhere and there is significant harm to Ukraine’s power grid. The Russian military initiated a comprehensive drone and missile campaign on Monday, targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
According to some Russian media sources, the strikes affected at least nine regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukrainian state media reported that at least 15 regions were suffering various negative effects from the large-scale Russian attack out of the nation’s total of 27. This is the largest operation by Russia within Ukraine since Zelensky authorized a counter-invasion on August 6th, initially targeting the border region of Kursk and expanding into Belgorod and threatening the Bryansk region.
The objective of the counter-invasion was allegedly to create a buffer zone to make it more difficult for Russia to transfer troops and military assets into Ukraine. The major strikes on Ukraine’s power grid have also raised concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants in both countries, potentially creating the ingredients for a major nuclear disaster.
The Associated Press reported that the Russian attack began around midnight local time on Monday, resulting in at least three deaths so far. In Kyiv, three people were injured, including a five-month-old baby. The strikes on power grid infrastructure have forced Ukrainian officials to redirect electricity, cutting power in certain sectors to ensure vital services can continue producing.
In Kyiv, both electricity and water supply services have been affected, leaving some with no access to water. Zelensky addressed the nation later on Monday, confirming that the Russian attack featured “more than 100 missiles of various types and about 100 Shahed UAVs.” Shaheds are a kind of suicide drone originating in Iran.
It was one of the heaviest strikes – a combined one. More than a hundred missiles of various types and about a hundred ‘Shahed’ drones,” the president said, according to the Ukrainian state outlet Ukrinform. And like most previous Russian strikes, this one targeted energy facilities.
In a separate statement, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko explained that the significant damage will require the country’s electricity authorities to implement “a regime of emergency power cuts.” The attack appears to be a response to the Kursk incursion, which remains ongoing. However, Russian forces appear to have mostly prevented Ukraine from expanding the territory it controls much beyond what was initially taken in early August.