After a series of Russian mass missile strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, practically all big thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the country have been damaged, according to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo.
Kudrytskyi said on Nov. 22 that the level of damage to the energy system is "colossal" and therefore, scheduled blackouts remain in place to maintain the balance and prevent the "collapse" of the energy system.
Russia has been targeting Ukraine's critical infrastructure since early October, admitting that the country's energy facilities are its primary goal. Attacking vital public infrastructure is a war crime, according to the Geneva Conventions.
On Nov. 15, Moscow launched its largest missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing emergency power outages across the country. According to the Ukrainian authorities, Russian forces launched around 90 missiles at targets across Ukraine that day.