‘The goal was a total blackout of the country’ — Russia’s March 22 attack was the biggest of the war
The goal of Russia’s mass missile and drone attack on Ukraine on March 22 was a complete blackout, and the damage to Ukraine’s energy industry is still being calculated, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said at a briefing in Kharkiv, Ukrinform reported.
Thermal and hydro generation were attacked throughout Ukraine, he said.
"Mainline substations across the country were attacked, Halushchenko said.
“12 regions were directly affected. This is the largest energy attack in general since the beginning of the war. More than 150 weapons at the same time. "
Read also: Russia attacks Kyiv: Five injured, more possibly trapped under destroyed gym downtown
It should be noted that targeting civilian energy infrastructure is a recognized war crime.
About a hundred means of destruction were calculated to be used at the same time in 2022-2023, Halushchenko said.
Read also: From Lviv to Odesa: Ukrainian cities across the country face power outages following Russian attack
“The attack affected the entire system,” the minister added.
"The good news is that the system is stable and intact. The goal of this attack was not just to hit some thermal plant or substation. The goal was a total blackout in the country. The fact that we spent winter without any restrictions to either electricity or heating isn’t because attacks didn’t occur. They did — but they were more localized."
Massive Russian attack on Ukraine on March 22 — What is known?
Russia conducted a mass missile and drone attack against Ukraine, primarily targeting energy infrastructure, on March 22.
Read also: ‘Stock up on water & charge your gadgets’ — Russian attack causes emergency shutdowns in Kryvyi Rih
At least three fatalities reported in Zaporizhzhya, while two people died in Khmelnytskyi as the entire country came under attack.
A total of 151 aerial targets were recorded by the Ukrainian military, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported.
Ukraine’s air defense forces destroyed 92 of these targets, including 55 Shahed-136/131 drones and 37 missiles.
Police reported a "complete restriction" on traffic on the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station dam. A missile had struck a trolleybus crossing the dam, setting it ablaze, Mariupol mayoral advisor Petro Andryushenko reported.
Kharkiv was almost completely left without power, as Russians launched over 15 strikes on the city’s power facilities.
Implementation of emergency shutdowns and rolling blackouts was reported in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (notably, in Kryvyi Rih), Donetsk, Odesa oblasts.
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