Nuclear plant on brink after Russian airstrikes
EUROPE’S biggest nuclear facility was left in an “extremely dangerous” state yesterday after Vladimir Putin launched a series of new missile and drone strikes across Ukraine.
The overnight attack was described by Kyiv as the largest airstrike on its energy infrastructure in two years of war – and portrayed by Moscow as revenge for Ukrainian attacks during its presidential election.
A vast dam over the Dnipro river was hit, at least five people were killed and more than a million others left without power, forcing Ukraine to seek emergency electricity supplies from Poland, Romania and Slovakia, Kyiv officials said.
Rockets rained down on key power stations, knocking many out, and leaving the country’s nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia in a perilous position as it needs a continuous supply 24 hours a day.
Dramatic footage showed the direct hit on the Dnipro hydroelectric facility, leaving more than a million people in darkness in
Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv. Experts are fearing for the Zaporizhzhia plant after the night of terror.
It comes following a threat by newly re-elected despot Putin to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
Petro Kotin, head of the Energoatom nuclear power company, warned: “Such a situation is extremely dangerous.
Emergency
“[It] threatens to lead to an emergency. If the last line linking the facility to the national power grid is disconnected, the plant will get into another blackout, which is a serious violation of the conditions for the safe operation of the plant.”
Workers were frantically trying to keep the Zaporizhzhia plant connected last night.
The numerous attacks were not confined to one area and came on the same day that Russia was revealed to be building up its military forces in preparation for a major offensive in the summer.
Ukraine’s ground forces commander Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk warned: “They are creating a group of more than 100,000 people.”
But other Kremlin sources put the figure at as many as 300,000 troops, with some suggesting Putin may even target capturing Kharkiv this year.
Meanwhile, in addition to Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, other cities hit in yesterday’s raids included Sumy, Poltava, Odesa and Khmelnytskyi.
The overnight assaults – just 24 hours after the capital Kyiv was targeted – took many by surprise, with a series of explosions starting in the dead of night.
Footage shared online showed the mayhem inside the Dnipro power plant shortly after it was hit by a Russian Kh-101 long
range cruise missile. The facility was seen ablaze, along with a passing trolley bus, with an as yet unknown number of casualties.
The plant’s dam – part of the hydro facility – was said to remain intact but the turbine chamber and sluice equipment were damaged. A spokesman for the Ukrhydroenergo power company said: “The fire at the station continues.
“Emergency services and energy workers are working on the spot, overcoming the consequences of numerous airstrikes.”
In total, yesterday’s ferocious attack on Ukraine involved some 90 missiles and 63 Iranian-made kamikaze drones, authorities in Kyiv later said.
Furious President Volodymyr Zelensky again called on Western governments to send more weapons to help Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
He said: “The world sees the goals of Russian terrorists as clearly as possible – power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, even a trolley bus.”
Mr Zelensky added: “Russia is fighting against the ordinary life of people. My condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed by this terror.” He pledged: “In all of the cities affected by the attack, the necessary services have been deployed.
“Rescuers, power engineers, regional and local authorities, police and utility services are helping people. Nobody will be left without assistance.
“Recovery in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Poltava, Dnipro, Odesa, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia and Ivano-Frankivsk has begun.”
Retaliation
The total number of dead and wounded were still not clear last night. The Russian defence ministry said the airstrike was carried out in retaliation for Ukrainian shelling and cross-border raids last week as Russians took part in a stage-managed election that handed President Putin a fifth term Mr Zelensky expressed growing frustration at the slow pace of Western munitions supplies to Ukraine. He said: “Russian missiles do not have delays, like the aid packages to our state.”
He added that there was no “indecision” about the supply of Iranian Shahed drones to Russia, saying: “It is important to understand the price of delays and delayed decisions. It is critical to understand the cost.
“Patriot systems must protect Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, air defence is required to protect people, infrastructure, homes and dams.
“Our partners know exactly what is needed.They can definitely support us.These are necessary decisions. Life must be protected from these savages from Moscow.”
In Khmelnytskyi region, one person died and more were wounded due to a Russian attack. In total, Ukraine downed 92 out of 151 incoming drones and missiles, authorities later confirmed.
But during yesterday’s attack, Russian forces used seven Kinzhal – or Dagger – hypersonic missiles and 12 Iskander-M ballistic missiles.