What we know about the massive Russian strikes that targeted energy infrastructure across the country on Monday

At least four people died and dozens were injured, according to Ukrainian authorities. Emergency power cuts had to be put in place.

It is “one of the most important attacks” Russia since 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky commented. Fifteen regions of Ukraine were hit by Russian strikes on the morning of Monday, August 26 “massive”. Russian forces used “more than 100 missiles” and a hundred suicide drones, according to the count put forward by the Ukrainian president. This new deadly salvo of projectiles has “targeted” the country’s electrical infrastructure, reports the Ukrainian Energy Minister, in line with a strategy that Russia has been implementing for months. Here’s what we know about this new operation.

At least four people killed and “dozens injured”

“A 69 year old man” died in the Dnipropetrovsk region in southeastern Ukraine, according to the regional administration’s provisional report on Telegram – it specifies that the Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih districts were affected. Further south, “Russians killed a civilian in the Zaporizhzhia district”, “near a private house”reported the military administrator of this region, on the same social network.

In Lutsk, in the northwest of the country, one person died in an attack on a “infrastructure”the mayor of the city, which is home to a major air base, reported on Telegram. The bombings also injured five people there. In Zhytomyr, west of kyiv, the strikes hit residential buildings and “critical infrastructure”killing a woman, the head of the regional military administration announced on the online messaging service.

Finally, another person was killed Monday morning by a Russian projectile in the Kharkiv region, according to local officials. But it is not yet known whether this death is linked to this wave of bombings on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke about “dozens injured” across the country. Dn the central Poltava region, uAn attack on an industrial facility injured five people, according to the governor. In Odessa, further south, seven people were injured, including two children, the local administration reported on Telegram. The Kiev authorities reported three injuries.

Power and water cuts in several areas

Following the attack, the Ukrainian Energy Minister acknowledged on Facebook that the energy situation was “complex”. The strikes made “a lot of damage” on the network, confirmed Volodymyr Zelensky. “Wherever there is a power outage, restoration work is already underway,” he assured, however, in a video message broadcast on Telegram at midday.

The grid operator Ukrenergo has ordered emergency power cuts to stabilise the network, private provider DTEK reported on Telegram, briefly bringing trains to a standstill in the country.

Power outages have affected “several districts” from kyiv, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram. Due to these outages, “water supply” was interrupted on “the right bank of the capital”, before being restored in the morning. The city of Zhytomyr experienced the same situation, again “following the power outage in the city”explained the local water network manager on Telegram.

Russia also targeted energy production sites in the Lviv region in western Ukraine, causing partial blackouts, the regional governor said. “As a result, there are partial power outages in Lviv and the region”said Maksym Kozytsky on Telegram. Power outages were also reported in Odessa.

Russia says it has hit “all targets”

Russia has admitted to carrying out a major attack on Ukraine. “The Russian Armed Forces have carried out a massive strike with high-precision long-range weapons launched from the air and sea and with drones against important energy infrastructure enabling the functioning of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine”the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that “all targets have been hit”.

The attacks come as Ukraine has been waging a major cross-border offensive in Russia’s Kursk region since early August, where it says its troops are continuing to advance. On Sunday evening, Ukraine’s president claimed responsibility for further attacks. “advances” in the region and the capture of two villages.

Volodymyr Zelensky calls for increased European support

After this new attack, the Ukrainian president asked for help from the air forces of his European neighbors. “In different regions of Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbours worked together with our [avions de chasse] F-16 and with our anti-aircraft defenses”said Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has already pressed its European allies to establish a no-fly zone in its western territory using defense systems deployed in neighboring Poland and Romania, to create a sanctuary in which industries, energy infrastructure and civilian populations would be protected.

“America, Britain, France and other partners have the strength to help us stop terror. We need solutions.”he added. For several months, the Ukrainian head of state has been constantly asking his Western partners for additional sky protection systems, but these have only arrived in dribs and drabs.