(Kyiv) A nighttime Russian drone attack damaged electrical installations in central and western Ukraine, leading to further power outages, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.
These strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure come as authorities have announced more frequent restrictions to alleviate a network significantly weakened by Russian attacks.
“The enemy hit an electrical installation in the center of the country, supply restrictions were put in place,” Ukraine’s Energy Ministry explained on its Telegram account.
In the Lviv region, equipment and power lines were also damaged during this nighttime attack, the ministry said.
The day before, the operator Ukrenergo had announced partial power cuts on Wednesday across the country. These measures extend for the first time over 24 hours, whereas until now they concerned shorter time slots, during peak consumption.
For his part, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchouk explained on Wednesday that “21 Shahed-131/136 attack drones” had been launched into the country overnight.
This attack injured a 70-year-old man in the Lviv region, but his life is not in danger, according to authorities in the area.
“He suffers from barotrauma, multiple drone shrapnel wounds and several fractures. His condition is moderately serious,” the regional administration explained on Telegram.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that these Russian bombings had led to Ukraine’s electricity production being halved since the winter.
Kyiv has called on its Western allies to help rebuild its electricity grid, a project that requires significant investment, and to provide it with more anti-aircraft defenses to counter Moscow’s strikes.
