29-11-2024 (KYIV) Russia launched its most devastating attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this month, leaving over a million people without power and triggering emergency measures across the war-torn nation.
The November 28 assault, involving 91 missiles and 97 drones, targeted critical power facilities across nine regions, marking a significant escalation in Moscow’s strategy to cripple Ukrainian civilian infrastructure as winter sets in. Ukrainian air defence forces claimed to have intercepted 79 missiles and neutralised 35 drones, though the scale of the attack overwhelmed defences in several areas.
President Vladimir Putin justified the strikes as retaliation for Ukraine’s recent use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles against Russian territory, warning that future attacks might target “decision-making centres” in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault as a “despicable escalation,” noting the use of cruise missiles with cluster munitions.
The attack has prompted Ukraine to implement emergency power conservation measures, with some areas facing up to 12 hours without electricity. Nuclear power plants, which provide more than half of Ukraine’s electricity, were preventively disconnected from the grid to prevent damage.
Western leaders swiftly condemned the assault, with US President Joe Biden describing it as “outrageous” and emphasising the urgency of supporting Ukraine’s defence efforts. Zelensky engaged in discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to coordinate responses to what he termed “Russia’s attempt to make the situation more unbearable.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed the need for additional Western support, particularly air defence systems and long-range capabilities, stating: “Putin does not want peace. We must force him into peace through strength.”
The strikes have particularly affected western Ukraine, with the Lviv region reporting over 523,000 residents without power. Similar outages have affected the Volyn, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and Zhytomyr regions, prompting local authorities to deploy emergency generators to maintain essential services during the bitter winter weather.
