Russian air attack destroys major power plant in Ukraine
The Trypillya power plant, 50 km to the south from Ukraine capital, was the largest electricity provider for three regions including Kyiv. It is now out of use.
Russia has unleashed a devastating air attack on Ukraine’s strategic infrastructure, completely destroying a major power plant that was the largest electricity provider to three regions including capital Kyiv.
"The scale of destruction is terrifying," said Andriy Hota, chairman of energy company Centrenergo.
He told BBC that Thursday morning's strikes destroyed "the transformer, the turbines, the generators. They destroyed 100 per cent".
Energy sector
The Trypillya power plant, located 50 km to the south of the Ukraine capital, was the largest electricity provider for three regions including Kyiv. It has been now put out of use.
Russia has long been deliberately and systematically targeting Ukraine's energy system.
A fire broke out in the turbine workshop of the plant following Thursday's airborne attack.
Massive attack
The Centrenergo chief said the plant was targeted by multiple missiles. The staff escaped as they ran for cover as soon as the first drone hit.
More than 80 missiles and drones targeted sites across Ukraine on Thursday. Many targeted the energy infrastructure, and almost a third made it through Ukraine's air defences.
Hota said his company's entire generative capacity in Ukraine was now destroyed.
Winter blues
The destruction of the Trypillya plant would not be a critical issue for Ukraine in the summer, he believed, although by winter it would become a "giant problem".
At least two more thermal power plants suffered "significant damage" overnight in the west of Ukraine, placing even more strain on electricity supply nationwide.
Putin justifies
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had been "obliged to respond" to the strikes on Ukrainian energy sites following Kyiv's attacks on Russian targets.
"Unfortunately, we observed a series of strikes on our energy sites recently and were obliged to respond," he said.