Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, paralyzing Kiev's power production capacity.

On June 22, Ukraine said that Russia had launched a large-scale attack on energy infrastructure in western and southern Ukraine.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. (Source: Getty Images)

"Equipment at (operator) Ukrenergo facilities in the Zaporizhzhia and Lviv regions was damaged," the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said, adding that two employees were injured and taken to hospital in Zaporizhzhia.

This is the "eighth large-scale, coordinated attack on energy infrastructure" in the past three months, the ministry said.

During two years of conflict, targeted Russian missile and drone attacks have crippled Ukraine's power generation capacity and forced Kiev to implement rolling blackouts and import supplies from the European Union (EU).

Ukrainian officials said on June 20 that energy infrastructure, including a power plant, was damaged in a major attack in the middle of the night, injuring seven workers.

Previously, in early May, summing up the damage to the energy sector, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that large-scale Russian UAV and missile attacks caused Ukraine's energy infrastructure to lose more than one billion USD.

"Today we are talking about losses of more than a billion dollars. However, the attacks continue and it is clear that the losses will increase," the Ukrainian Energy Minister affirmed.

Russia has been attacking Ukraine’s vital energy infrastructure with drones and missiles almost daily since March 22, causing power outages in parts of the Eastern European country. The attacks have knocked out half of Ukraine’s energy system.

Minister Galushchenko emphasized that thermal and hydroelectric power plants and power transmission systems suffered the most damage.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that the strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure were part of Moscow's " demilitarization " plan. The operation was also a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure such as oil refineries, as the conflict entered its third year.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nga-tan-cong-quy-mo-lon-ha-tang-nang-luong-ukraine-nang-luc-san-xuat-dien-cua-kiev-te-liet-275903.html