Late on October 30, Russian forces targeted a thermal power plant in a front-line region of Ukraine, causing significant damage to the facility's equipment.
The attack led to electricity and water supply cut-offs in a nearby settlement, according to Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK. This is reported by Kyiv Independent.
While no casualties were reported, the company did not specify which region was targeted. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that Russian troops shelled an energy facility in Donetsk Oblast on the same evening.
Ongoing attacks on infrastructure
Russia has been consistently targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine since early October 2022.
These attacks have resulted in dozens of deaths and widespread power outages.
Moscow has openly admitted that Ukraine's energy system is one of its primary targets, a move that, according to the Geneva Convention, constitutes a war crime.
Preparing for winter
As Ukraine anticipates an increase in Russian strikes against its energy grid during the winter months, preparations are underway to mitigate the damage and defend crucial infrastructure.
The situation is dire as Russia's attacks have already damaged 40% of Ukraine's energy system since mid-October, making long power outages a new reality for many.
War crime implications
The targeting of vital public infrastructure is considered a war crime under the Geneva Convention. With Moscow openly admitting that Ukraine's energy system is one of its primary targets, the international community faces the question of how to hold Russia accountable for these actions.
