Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Ukraine's critical infrastructure targeted in Russian overnight attack

by The Kyiv Independent news desk March 31, 2024 12:04 PM 2 min read
An Iranian-made Shahed 131/136 kamikaze drone, a model often used by Russian forces in airstrikes against Ukraine. (Ukraine's Southern Operational Command/Telegram)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles overnight on March 31, damaging infrastructure facilities and killing at least one person.

Russian troops hit Ukraine with drones and missiles, including 11 Shahed drones, 14 cruise missiles, an Kh-59 guided missile, and an Iskander-M ballistic missile, the Air Force reported.

A total of nine cruise missiles and nine drones were downed.

During the attack, Russia tried to hit critical infrastructure in Lviv Oblast that was already targeted on March 24 and March  29, according to Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytskyi.

"An administration building was ruined. There was a fire, and firefighters extinguished it promptly," Kozytskyi wrote on Telegram.

One person was killed there, Kozytskyi reported, adding that the rescue operation continues and more people might be trapped under the rubble.

In Odesa Oblast, air defense units shot down eight Shahed drones, the military reported. Debris from a falling drone caused a fire at an energy facility, leading to blackouts.

According to the country's state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo, the attack aimed at hitting its high-voltage substations in the southern regions.

"Due to damage to the equipment, the power industry was forced to apply emergency shutdowns in the city of Odesa and nearby areas," reads the statement.

Russian forces also fired ballistic missiles and a guided missile at Kherson Oblast, striking an agricultural enterprise. In Rivne Oblast, the missile debris damaged an electrical resistance, reported local governor Oleksandr Koval.

No casualties have been reported there yet.

Poland scrambled jets to defend Polish airspace in response to the Russian missile threat. This is the second time this week Poland has scrambled military aircraft due to a mass missile attack against Ukraine.

Russia has recently intensified its attacks against Ukraine's critical infrastructure in a renewed assault against the country's energy grid. The March 22 mass attack damaged the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station.

A recent major attack on March 24 saw 29 cruise missiles and 28 Shahed-type drones attack targeting eight regions in the west, center, north, and south of Ukraine. The attacks damaged critical infrastructure and left at least 76,000 people without heating.

Reductions in Ukraine's air defense capacity have limited the number of Russian missiles and drones the military can shoot down during attacks.

Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.
11:54 PM

Biden seeks to cancel over $4.5 billion of Ukraine's debt.

"We have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine, and now Congress is welcome to take it up if they wish," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Nov. 20.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.