Russia launched a significant assault on natural gas facilities operated by Ukraine’s state-owned gas company, Naftogaz, resulting in widespread disruptions to power and gas supplies. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russia unleashed a barrage of 381 drones and 35 missiles in a large-scale aerial offensive on Thursday night, aiming to disable critical energy infrastructure ahead of the winter season.
Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi condemned the attacks as deliberate acts of terror targeting civilian infrastructure. These facilities are vital for providing gas extraction and processing services, essential for the daily lives of Ukrainian citizens.
The attacks have caused significant disruptions, leaving thousands of homes in numerous Ukrainian cities without electricity and gas. In response to the crisis, Ukraine has initiated measures to import substantial quantities of gas.
Koretskyi reported that Russia targeted Naftogaz’s gas extraction and processing facilities in the Kharkiv region and the Poltava region, employing 35 missiles, including ballistic types, and 60 drones. He highlighted the severe damage inflicted on some facilities. The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement claiming that its forces used drones and guided weapons to target Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and supporting gas and energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials reported that the air strikes in Poltava injured an eight-year-old child and two women. Additionally, one strike damaged the historic St. Nicholas Church, shattering over half of its windows.
Simultaneously, Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation within Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, revealed that Ukraine retaliated with long-range, domestically produced drones, targeting the Orsk oil refinery, situated approximately 1,400 kilometers (900 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Authorities have also disclosed that Ukrainian drone strikes caused a temporary halt in operations at the Azot chemical plant in Berezniki, one of Russia’s largest chemical plants, located 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that its air defense systems intercepted and shot down at least 20 Ukrainian drones on Thursday night, with the majority of them being targeted over the Black Sea.