Russia's strategic strikes on Ukraine infrastructure aim to weaken its energy independence

Russians launched a massive missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities in four Ukrainian regions. As informed by the Ukrainian Minister of Energy, Herman Halushchenko, energy generation facilities and data transmission systems were targeted.

The Ukrainian Minister of Energy, Herman Halushchenko, reported that Russian forces conducted a massive missile attack on critical infrastructure in four Ukrainian regions on Thursday morning.

"The enemy is attacking our energy infrastructure again! Energy generation facilities and data transmission systems in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Kyiv regions were attacked," - Halushchenko wrote on Facebook.

According to Ukrainian media, Russian forces launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine early in the morning, using, among others, Kinzhal ballistic missiles.

This marks another day of the Russian offensive targeting civilian energy infrastructure. On Wednesday morning, energy and transportation infrastructures in the Odesa region of Ukraine were struck, and a power plant in the Mykolaiv region was hit, leading to power outages - regional authorities reported.

Russian attacks had already inflicted significant damage on Ukrainian energy infrastructure previously, compelling Kyiv to stop energy exports and start importing it - Reuters agency reminded.

Its energy system comprising various sources, large storage capacities, and domestic resources, Ukraine had legitimate aspirations to become an energy hub in Eastern Europe.

Ukraine, home to four nuclear power plants, is a significant energy player in Europe. It is ranked third in nuclear production potential on the continent. The total installed capacity of Ukrainian nuclear reactors is approximately 14,935 MW. This accounts for over half of the electricity produced in Ukraine.

The country has one of the largest power systems in Europe. Nearly half of its capacity comes from thermal power plants. While most use bituminous coal, a smaller proportion of plants also use gas and mazut—as listed by the Energy Forum. The challenge lies in that the plants with the highest potential are situated in the eastern and central regions of the country, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro. Some have fallen under the control of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.