Russia hits Ukrainian energy facility in drone attack, officials say

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KYIV (Reuters) – Russia hit an energy facility in northern Ukraine during overnight drone strikes that injured at least three people across the country, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.

Ukraine’s power distribution company Ukrenergo said the energy facility that was hit was located in the northern Zhytomyr region but gave no further details apart from saying the attack resulted in power cuts.

Ukraine’s air force said it had downed 74 of 106 drones launched by Russia across the country and another 25 were “locationally lost”, indicating they did not hit their target.

Fragments from downed drones injured at least two people in the capital Kyiv and damaged 10 buildings, including a medical facility, a business centre and apartment blocs, said Serhiy Popko, head of the city’s military administration.

Photos posted by the city authorities showed burnt-out vehicles in ruined garages, and shattered windows and charred walls in another location.

A man was also slightly hurt in the southern city of Odesa, where an 11-storey building, cars and a gas pipe were damaged in the Russian drone attack, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.

Large-scale drone attacks have become a nightly danger for Kyiv residents over the past month as Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, increased the number of drones launched against Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s power grid and energy infrastructure in what Kyiv says appears to be a concerted effort to degrade the system before winter, when people most need electricity and heating.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians but thousands have been killed and injured in its strikes. Moscow says its attacks are aimed at destroying infrastructure critical to Ukraine’s war effort.