KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian electrical grid operator Ukrenergo told the nation to be prepared for alternating blackouts on Thursday after Russian missile attacks damaged more power producers on Wednesday.
All regions in Ukraine may face four-hour cutoffs between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., a necessary step because of a shortage of power generation, the company said, urging consumers to conserve as much energy as possible.
Russian missiles struck three electricity producers in Ukraine on Wednesday alone. The damage to facilities in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Vinnytsya was on top of other attacks on power plants.
Since Oct. 10, the Ukrainian energy system has suffered more attacks than it did since the Russian invasion began in February, Ukrenergo said. About 30% of Ukrainian power stations have been destroyed since Oct. 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
“It is very important energy is consumed with awareness tomorrow,” he said in his nightly address. “We are preparing for all possible scenarios in the light of approaching winter season. We proceed from the fact that Russian terror will be directed at energy facilities, until with the help of our partners, we can shoot down 100 percent of enemy’s missiles and drones”
Kyiv, Lviv and other big cities have already experienced emergency power cutoffs, though some capacity has been restored.
