KYIV: A massive Russian air assault struck several of Ukraine’s main gas production facilities on Friday, causing critical damage as the country prepares for a new heating season.
Russia fired 35 missiles and 60 drones at state gas and oil company Naftogaz sites in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions overnight, according to CEO Sergii Koretskyi.
He described this attack as the largest of the war specifically targeting gas production infrastructure.
“A significant portion of our facilities has been damaged, with some of the destruction being critical,“ Koretskyi stated on Facebook.
He emphasised there was no military rationale behind striking these civilian energy facilities.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed its forces had carried out massive overnight strikes on Ukraine’s gas and energy infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russians were attempting to cause maximum harm to Ukrainian people just before the heating season begins.
Ukraine has increased gas imports fearing domestic supply disruptions and plans to stockpile 13.2 billion cubic meters of gas in storage facilities by mid-October.
This stockpile will include approximately 4.6 billion cubic meters of imported gas.
Russian strikes earlier this year had already reduced Ukraine’s domestic gas output by 40%.
Ukraine’s top private energy provider DTEK suspended operations at several gas facilities in Poltava region following the overnight attack.
Over 8,000 consumers lost power in the affected regions, according to local authorities.
Ukraine’s air force reported the massive Russian strike targeted six out of 24 regions using 381 drones and 35 missiles total.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector as the fourth winter of war approaches.
These attacks have already triggered prolonged blackouts in several Ukrainian regions.
Late Friday attacks also left parts of eastern Donetsk region without power, including the frontline city of Kostiantynivka.
Ukraine has responded by stepping up deep strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent months.
Ukrainian drone forces commander reported attacks on 19 oil facilities across Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in September alone.
Ukrainian drones hit the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery in the Russian city of Orsk near the Kazakhstan border on Friday, causing fires. – Reuters
