Kyiv [Ukraine], April 12: Power infrastructure in the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv, Lviv, Kiev and Zaporizhzhya was hit in renewed heavy Russian missile strikes overnight, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook on Thursday.
Damage was also reported in the Odessa region.
The country's largest electricity producer, DTEK, said on Telegram that two of its thermal power plants had been damaged.
South of Kiev, the Trypillia thermal power plant was destroyed, the state operator Centrenergo told Interfax Ukraine. None of the plant's employees were injured. A fire had engulfed the turbine house and extinguishing work was continuing. The plant is unable to generate electricity.
"Tonight the area was massively attacked with kamikaze drones and missiles," Kiev's regional administration head Ruslan Kravchenko said on Telegram early on Thursday. "The air alert lasted more than five hours."
Following the third serious wave of attacks within a few days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Western allies to supply Ukraine with more weapons. More than a dozen power plants have been destroyed or put out of action since mid-March.
"We need air defence systems and other defence assistance, not just turning a blind eye and having lengthy discussions," Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
He reiterated the point after a meeting in Vilnius on Thursday with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
"For us, air defence is the point number one, priority number one," Zelensky said.
Referring to regular overnight Russian missile attacks on the regions of Kharkiv, Odessa, Zaporizhzhya and Kiev, he added: "For us it is the biggest challenges for today." At least 10 infrastructure facilities in and around the particularly vulnerable eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv were attacked with missiles overnight, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia deployed six of its Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Of 40 attacking Iranian-made Shahed combat drones, 37 were intercepted, it said.
Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years. Moscow has repeatedly attempted to paralyse the country's energy supply with airstrikes far into the Ukrainian hinterland.
In Vilnius, Zelensky was due on Thursday to participate in a summit of states under the so-called Three Seas Initiative, which brings together 13 EU member states situated along the north-south axis between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas. There, Zelensky planned to discuss further arms aid for Ukraine.
Also on Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament passed a controversial military mobilization bill - following three months of debate - that requires men between the ages of 18 and 60 to carry their military passes on them and to have them updated within two months.
Source: Qatar Tribune