‘Massive’ Russian attack on Ukraine capital triggers blackouts and sets high-rise alight | Ukraine
Ukraine’s capital was plunged into darkness early Friday in what the air force called a “massive attack” as Russia destroyed Kiev’s infrastructure, cut off water and energy supplies and triggered a fire in a high-rise apartment building.
Kiev’s mayor said Russian forces targeted “critical infrastructure” and nine people were injured, five of whom were hospitalized. Vitali Klitschko also said that power outages and disruptions in water supply affected areas on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, which runs through the city.
Pictures posted online showed the flats engulfed in flames as firefighters took their positions. Parts of the fallen unmanned aerial vehicles also hit various parts of the city.
Agence France-Presse journalists in Kiev heard several powerful explosions and experienced power outages in their homes in different parts of the city on Friday.
The Ukrainian air force urged people in Kiev to stay in shelters, saying “The country’s capital is under enemy ballistic missile attack and massive attack by enemy attack drones.”
Energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk said Russian forces “conducted a major attack” on the grid.
“Energy experts are taking all necessary precautions to minimize negative consequences,” he said on Facebook.
“As soon as security conditions allow, energy experts will begin to explain the consequences of the attack and carry out restoration work.”
Moscow has stepped up air strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities and rail systems in recent weeks; This echoes similar campaigns launched over the previous three winters that left people without heat in freezing temperatures.
Ukraine, fearing the hypersonic Kinzhal missile, which is harder to detect and stop, put the entire country on alert on Friday.
Russia also hit the southeastern Zaporozhye region with at least seven drone strikes overnight, killing a seven-year-old child and wounding at least three people, according to the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Moscow was trying to “create chaos and apply psychological pressure” by paralyzing energy facilities and railways.
Ukraine’s president said Russia’s attacks this year have already strained Ukrainian gas infrastructure and further attacks could force his country to increase imports.
Ukraine has also increased drone and missile attacks on Russian territory; Zelenskyy said this tactic showed “consequences” and increased fuel prices in Russia.
The Ukrainian attack on a power plant in Russia’s border region of Belgorod also caused power outages.
Russia accused Ukraine on Thursday of releasing poisonous gas by rupturing a defunct pipeline near the front line used to transport ammonia to Ukraine for export.
He posted a video showing what appear to be clouds of chemical compounds from a source on the ground.
Authorities in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region said the incident did not pose “a threat to the lives of people” living nearby.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
