Ukraine's energy sector under siege in latest Russian drone and missile assault

Russians launched another attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight from May 7th to May 8th, targeting the network with aviation and strike drones. The attack involved Shahed-136 kamikaze drones and several types of missiles fired from Tu-95MS bombers.

Ukrainians are experiencing more attacks on their energy infrastructure. According to the Polish Press Agency, an air raid alarm was declared in Kyiv at 11:47 PM GMT due to Russian aircraft activity. The alert was lifted shortly after 5:00 AM GMT the following day.

Serhij Popko, the head of Kyiv's city military administration, reported that air defence systems intercepted the missiles aimed at Kyiv. The Russians reportedly used Kh-101, Kh-555, and Kh-55 cruise missiles launched from strategic Tu-95MS bombers. Popko revealed on Telegram that, thankfully, there were no casualties in the capital of Ukraine, and no buildings were damaged in the attack.

Kh-101 is a Russian strategic cruise missile with stealth capabilities. Its range is about 4,500-5,500 kilometres. The weight of a single rocket is about 2,200-2,400 kilograms. The Kh-55 and Kh-555 missiles have ranges of approximately 3,000 kilometres and 2,800 kilometres, respectively. The weight of the rocket is about 1,700 kilograms. The Tu-95MS, in turn, is a strategic bomber with a wingspan of just over 50 meters. The aircraft's maximum speed is about 830 km/h, and its declared range without in-flight refuelling is about 10,500 kilometres.

The website defense-ua.com reports that Russians used ballistic Iskander missiles, Shahed-136 drones, and Kinzhal missiles, among other weapons, to attack energy infrastructure. The report details the number of targets successfully intercepted.

According to the information, the Ukrainians managed to eliminate 33 out of 45 launched Kh-101/555 missiles; all four launched Kalibr missiles, both of the two Ch-59/Ch-69 missiles, and 20 out of 21 Shahed drones. In addition, two Iskander ballistic missiles, one Iskander-K cruise missile, and one Kinzhal (Kh-47) missile were intercepted.

Despite the effectiveness of Ukrainian defences, the Russians successfully damaged facilities generating and transmitting electricity. Unlike Kyiv, other regions across Ukraine bore the brunt of these attacks. Maksym Kozytsky, the head of the Lviv regional state administration, mentioned that an "object of critical energy infrastructure" in the Stryi region suffered damage.

Ihor Klymenko, the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, conveyed that the damage extended beyond infrastructure facilities to about 30 residential buildings and public transport. Vehicles were also damaged; in Zaporizhzhia, a fire department and a medical rescue building suffered damage.