Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Major Russian strike cripples Ukraine’s power grid, European imports insufficient

Ukrainian system has a finite capacity for processing foreign electricity, making it hard to expand imports to meet demand.
Major Russian strike cripples Ukraine's power grid, European imports insufficient
Energy grid, illustrative photo. Photo: Depositphotos
Major Russian strike cripples Ukraine’s power grid, European imports insufficient

Ukraine can no longer offset its energy deficit by importing electricity from Europe after a massive Russian missile and drone attack damaged key power plants across six regions overnight on 8 May.

Volodymyr Kudrytskyy, head of national energy company UkrEnergo, stated that the damage was extensive, substantially reducing generation capacity.

“The damage is quite extensive, and the loss of generation is quite substantial. So substantial that even importing electricity from Europe cannot fully cover the deficit that has emerged in the energy system,” he told Ukrainska Pravda.

Many crucial power plants were hit, so repair work is ongoing constantly—different facilities have varying degrees of damage.

Earlier, Ukrenergo announced that due to Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, they imposed electricity restrictions for industry and businesses from 6 PM to 11 PM.

However, the company appeals to all citizens to temporarily reduce electricity usage in the evenings to prevent wider blackouts.

On May 8th, a massive Russian missile and kamikaze drone attack targeted energy facilities across six Ukrainian oblasts – Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia. Over 50 missiles and 20 drones were launched in this latest of several major strikes on Ukraine’s power grid since the start of 2024.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russian ballistic missile strikes damaged half of Ukraine’s energy system.

Read more:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here


    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts