A massive Russian air assault struck some of Ukraine's main gas production facilities, officials said on Friday, in some cases causing critical damage as Ukraine prepares for a new heating season.
Russia fired 35 missiles and 60 drones at facilities of state gas and oil company Naftogaz in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions overnight, said CEO Sergii Koretskyi, adding the attack was the biggest of the war on Naftogaz sites.
"As a result of this attack, a significant portion of our facilities has been damaged. Some of the destruction is critical," he added on Facebook.
"There was no military purpose or rationale. It was yet another display of Russian malice, aimed solely at disrupting the heating season and depriving Ukrainians of the ability to heat their homes this winter," he said.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed its forces had carried out massive overnight strikes on Ukraine's gas and energy infrastructure, saying it had also attacked military-industrial facilities.
Ukraine has boosted gas imports, fearing disruption of domestic supplies, and intends to stockpile 13.2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in storage facilities by mid-October. This will include some 4.6 bcm of imported gas.
Russian strikes on Ukraine's gas infrastructure earlier this year cut domestic output by 40%.
Blackouts, fuel crisis
Ukraine's top private energy provider DTEK said it had suspended operations at several gas facilities in the Poltava region after the overnight attack.
Over 8,000 consumers were left without power, the regional governor said.
According to Ukraine's air force, the massive Russian strike on 6 out of 24 regions included a total of 381 drones and 35 missiles.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's energy sector as the fourth winter of war approaches, and they have already triggered prolonged blackouts in several regions.
A drone attack on the northern Kyiv and Chernihiv regions on Wednesday knocked out power to the Chornobyl nuclear power plant for three hours, including the new containment vessel erected in 2016 to keep radiation from leaking.
Seeking retaliation, Kyiv's troops have also stepped up deep strikes on oil refineries deep in Russia in recent months, prompting fuel shortages in some regions.
On Friday, Ukrainian drones hit Orsknefteorgsintez refinery in the Russian city of Orsk near the border with Kazakhstan, causing fires.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that its Navy had struck U.S. military barracks, a satellite communications centre a...
Kyrgyzstan's government has banned the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel indefinitely. The Central Asian country imports more than 90 per cent of its f...
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Don...
Kyrgyzstan's government has banned the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel indefinitely. The Central Asian country imports more than 90 per cent of its fuel from Russia, which has faced supply issues due to Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
A newly introduced refereeing protocol has intensified debate over fairness at the FIFA World Cup, with another controversial decision involving defending champions Argentina fuelling criticism from fans and former officials.
A United Nations official has accused Hamas of interfering with humanitarian aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, adding further pressure on civilians already facing severe shortages and worsening living conditions.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
President Ilham Aliyev is holding his annual question-and-answer session with international journalists at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum in Azerbaijan.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that its Navy had struck U.S. military barracks, a satellite communications centre and a Patriot missile battery in Bahrain, while its Aerospace Force targeted an airbase in Jordan.
A newly introduced refereeing protocol has intensified debate over fairness at the FIFA World Cup, with another controversial decision involving defending champions Argentina fuelling criticism from fans and former officials.
A United Nations official has accused Hamas of interfering with humanitarian aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, adding further pressure on civilians already facing severe shortages and worsening living conditions.
Australia's internet safety regulator has accused some of the world's biggest technology companies of failing to do enough to combat child sexual abuse and the growing threat of online sexual extortion.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers fatally shot a driver in a coastal town of Maine on Monday, less than a week after an ICE agent in Houston, Texas, shot and killed a man in a traffic stop during a deportation crackdown there.
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