kyiv (AP) — Russia launched a major missile attack on Ukraine overnight, damaging four power plants in the latest bombardment of the country’s force supply, Kiev officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Kyiv’s Western partners to supply more air defense systems to his country’s skies, with the air force saying it shot down 21 of the 34 incoming missiles.
In recent months, Moscow has introduced some of the biggest measures ever opposed to Ukraine’s energy services. They destroyed a portion of production, causing blackouts and power rationing across the country.
Ukraine said it had struck two oil refineries and an army airbase in southern Russia in its own wave of overnight drone strikes.
“Thirty-four Russian missiles overnight,” Zelensky said in a Telegram post.
“We’ve managed to shoot some of them. But the world has every chance to help us shoot down any and all missiles and drones. “
In his speech Saturday night, he reiterated his call for a Patriot missile defense “as soon as possible. “
“It is still conceivable to supply the necessary quantity and quality of air defense systems,” he added. “We must not waste time. “
Energy services were affected in at least three regions, in addition to Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk in the west, many kilometers from the front line, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said in a Facebook post.
One of the missiles landed 15 kilometers (15 miles) from the Polish-Ukrainian border, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
Kyiv says Moscow is stepping up its air and ground attacks ahead of national celebrations on May 9, when Russia will commemorate the Soviet victory in World War II.
Meanwhile, Ukraine awaits the arrival of U. S. weapons.
Washington on Friday announced a $6 billion military package for Kyiv, adding air defense munitions and key artillery shells.
Power operator DTEK said appliances at four of its thermal power plants had been “severely damaged” during overnight strikes.
State power operator Ukrenergo said it had disconnected its overhead line in the west of the country as a precautionary measure.
Officials have urged Americans and businesses to limit their electricity consumption.
“We ask everyone to consume electricity sparingly,” Ukrenergo said in a statement.
The head of the western region of Lviv called on citizens to restrict the use of household appliances at peak hours at night.
At least two other people were killed in separate shelling in the northeastern regions of Kharkiv and southern Kherson, Ukrainian officials said.
The wave of missile and artillery attacks wounded more than a dozen people.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday it had carried out 35 “collective strikes” on Ukrainian energy sites, military plants, railway facilities, air defense systems and targets over the past week.
Ukraine introduced its own drone strike overnight in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region.
A Ukrainian military told AFP that the attack hit two oil refineries and a military airfield in the area, just east of the annexed Crimean peninsula.
“Ukrainian drones attacked the atmospheric distillation columns of the Ilsky and Slavyansky refineries. These are key technological facilities,” they said.
Russian officials in the Krasnodar region reported a fire at an oil refinery in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban.
As a result, the refinery suspended operations, Russian state media reported, citing a corporate representative.
Videos and images circulating on social media showed a giant fire burning overnight after a series of explosions.
Moscow said Ukraine had introduced one of the largest drone strikes ever carried out in the Krasnodar region.
“Air defense destroyed and intercepted Ukrainian drones over the territory of the Krasnodar region and two over the Crimean peninsula,” the Defense Ministry said.
The governor of Russia’s Belgorod border region said Saturday that five more people were injured when a Ukrainian drone fell on a road a few miles from the border.
Kyiv has hit several oil refineries in western Russia in recent months, despite reports in Washington that the measures could be perceived as escalating and pushing up global oil prices.
Ukraine says it’s valid to target Russia’s important energy sector, as it is a source of fuel and budget for the Russian military.