KYIV, Ukraine — Russia pummeled Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with a large-scale drone and missile attack Saturday, injuring at least 19 people, local officials said.
The Ukrainian military reported that it had downed 35 out of the 53 missiles launched at targets across the country overnight on June 1, as well as 46 out of 47 attack drones.
Injuries were reported by officials across the country, including in Ukraine’s western Lviv region and the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Twelve people, including eight children, were hospitalized after a strike close to two houses where they were sheltering in the Kharkiv region, said Gov. Oleh Syniehubov.
The strikes were part of a series of sustained attacks by Russia against Ukraine’s power grid, which has been ongoing since March.
Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, DTEK said that two of its power plants had been seriously damaged in what it said was the sixth attack on the company’s plants in two and a half months.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko, said in a statement on social media that energy infrastructure in the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kirovohrad and Ivano-Frankivsk regions had also been targeted.
Damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks has forced leaders of the war-ravaged country to institute nationwide rolling blackouts. Without adequate air defenses to counter assaults and allow for repairs, the shortages could still worsen as need spikes in late summer and the bitter-cold winter.
In response to the strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated Kyiv’s need for additional air defense systems from its Western allies.
“Civilians, infrastructure and energy facilities. This is what Russia is constantly at war with,” he said in a post Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.
“Our partners know exactly what is needed for this. Additional Patriot and other modern air defense systems for Ukraine. Accelerating and expanding the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine. Providing our warriors with all the necessary capabilities.”
Elsewhere, five civilians died amid Ukrainian shelling in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, said the area’s Moscow-installed leader Denis Pushilin. Another three people were injured, he said.
The Russian Defense Ministry also said that it had shot down two Ukrainian drones on Saturday morning over Russia’s Belgorod region. No casualties were reported.
A recent cyberattack originating from Russia has caused significant damage to Ukraine’s power grid, resulting in at least 19 injuries and widespread power outages across the country. This latest attack is just the latest in a series of cyber assaults that have targeted Ukraine’s critical infrastructure in recent years.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, targeted a number of power distribution companies in Ukraine, causing disruptions to the flow of electricity to homes and businesses. The attackers used sophisticated malware to infiltrate the systems of these companies, allowing them to remotely control various aspects of the power grid.
As a result of the attack, at least 19 people were injured in various incidents related to the power outages. These injuries ranged from minor burns to more serious injuries caused by electrical shocks. In addition to the human toll, the attack also resulted in significant economic losses for businesses that were forced to shut down due to the power outages.
The Ukrainian government has condemned the attack, calling it a blatant act of aggression by Russia. Ukrainian officials have called on the international community to take action against Russia for its continued targeting of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
This latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of modern societies to cyber threats. As our reliance on technology continues to grow, so too does the potential for malicious actors to exploit vulnerabilities in our systems. It is imperative that governments and businesses take proactive measures to protect their critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.
In response to this latest attack, Ukrainian authorities have vowed to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and work with international partners to identify and apprehend those responsible. It is clear that a coordinated and collaborative approach is needed to combat the growing threat of cyber warfare and protect our critical infrastructure from future attacks.
