Russia has carried out another round of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s much-depleted energy network, killing at least two people.
On Saturday the Ukrainian energy company Centrenergo said the Zmiiv thermal power plant, one of the largest in the Kharkiv region, had been completely destroyed as a result of Russian shelling last week. Power outage schedules were still in place for about 120,000 people in the region, where 700,000 had lost electricity after the plant was hit on 22 March.
Russia’s defence ministry said the air force had used “high-precision long-range air-based weapons” to conduct a large strike against Ukraine’s gas and energy infrastructure. “The village of Dunayka, in the Graivoron urban district, came under Ukrainian fire. To much grief, a civilian was killed,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said on social media. “She died of her wounds on the spot before the ambulance crew arrived. I express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.”
“The Ukrainian army needs to defend a very long frontline, which requires armoured vehicles; this is absolutely crucial for troop mobility and is part of the Ukrainian requests,” Lecornu told La Tribune Dimanche.