We reported earlier on the clear escalation in Ukraine's cross-border strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure, during which time Moscow has in turn ramped up its own major airstrikes on Ukraine's facilities.
The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) in a press briefing detailed its retaliatory attacks which it described as a direct response to the shelling of Russian territory. The MoD confirmed that it has hit "energy and military industry facilities, railway junctions and arsenals."
Significantly the country's largest hydroelectric plant at Dnieper has been shut down after what appears a major missile strike impacting its vital operations. Various regions impacted have been left without power, and there are widespread reports of new internet outages in Ukraine.
Russia's military touted that "all the goals of the massive strike have been achieved" - which reportedly included hits on "foreign military equipment and ordnance delivered by NATO countries" which were destroyed, according to state-run TASS.
Unconfirmed footage is widely circulating which shows a Russian cruise missile slam into the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant:
US state-backed RFERL has also reported Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant was impacted in the large wave of Friday's Russian air assault:
Many parts of Ukraine are experiencing blackouts after a massive wave of Russian strikes on March 22 targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, killing at least four people, hitting the country's largest dam, and temporarily severing a power line at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant.
Large swathes of Ukraine have gone dark, connectivity data shows:
Below is a list of impacted targets on Friday, via a statement by Russia's defense ministry:
- Generating facilities and power transmission and distribution systems were damaged in various regions of Ukraine, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.
- Power company Ukrenergo reported that dozens of energy system facilities have been damaged, with the most severe situation occurring in the Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd, Odessa and Kharkov regions.
- Ukraine’s DTEK energy holding company has reported major damage to equipment at the country's thermal power plants, without specifying which TPPs it was referring to.
- Damage to critical and industrial infrastructure was reported in the majority of Ukraine's regions, both in the east and center of the country, as well as in its western regions.
- The country is experiencing widespread Internet disruptions, particularly in Vinnytsia, Dnieper, Kharkov and Khmelnitsky.
- Electricity is out in almost the entire city of Kharkov, as well as in many districts of Dnieper, Krivoy Rog, Kropivnitsky, Khmelnitsky and neighboring cities. Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky Region, near where a military airfield is located, is also blacked out.
- Kharkov is also experiencing problems with water supply and communications, including telephone communications. Railway operations have switched over to diesel locomotives; electric-powered modes of transport have shut down.
- Naftogaz of Ukraine reported damage to the company's facilities. According to Naftogaz CEO Alexey Chernyshev, the matter concerns "localized damage to the gas pipeline and disconnection of facilities from the power supply."
And with Friday's terror attack by unknown gunmen on a Moscow concert venue and mall, this rapid escalation is sure to continue.