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.
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