Russia strikes 28 critical energy facilities across Ukraine in latest wave of attacks, Zelensky says
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Russian attacks struck 28 substations and other critical energy facilities across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 19, following another wave of missile and drone attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.
At least 550,000 households lost power overnight, Zelensky said, following a coordination meeting on the situation in Ukraine's regions.
Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure in 11 oblasts overnight and on the morning of Oct. 19, First Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov reported. Additional power outages caused by Russian strikes and ongoing hostilities were reported in four other oblasts.
One energy worker was injured in an attack on an energy facility in Vinnytsia Oblast, Nekrasov said.
Repair crews are working to restore electricity wherever security conditions allow, although prolonged air raid alerts and the threat of renewed Russian strikes are slowing restoration efforts, according to the Energy Ministry.
During the overnight attacks, Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 200 drones in several waves in what Zelensky described as a "targeted attack on Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast."
Zelensky said Ukraine had "once again" received no advance warning from its partners about the strikes.
Nekrasov said that over the past week, Russia carried out 87 targeted attacks on Ukraine's energy, oil, and gas sectors. Authorities recorded 224 incidents that caused damage to energy, oil, and gas infrastructure during that period.
The attacks come as Ukraine faces a critical shortage of U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles, which are essential for defending against Russian ballistic missiles.
"There are political agreements that have not been implemented at the working level. There are also delays in certain types of vital supplies at the level of the U.S. Department of War," Zelensky said.
Zelensky also announced plans to increase production and procurement of anti-drone turrets, which he said have proven "highly effective" against Russian Shahed-type attack drones.
Russia has carried out 2,147 attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since July 16, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said in an interview with BBC News Ukrainian published on Oct. 19, citing figures as of Oct. 17.
"Not a single day has passed without attacks on energy infrastructure," Koretskyi said.
