Warsaw – Russia launched a drone attack on Ukrainian targets, firing almost a dozen Shahed drones, with one falling debris incident causing significant damage near a nuclear plant in Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi region, knocking out electricity to hundreds of people. Ukrainian officials reported the incident on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of attacks on the Khmelnytskyi region by Kremlin forces.
Ukraine's air force swiftly responded to the threat, successfully intercepting all the drones that were launched, preventing further damage. However, the intercepted debris from one of the drones resulted in collateral damage to power lines near a local nuclear facility.
In the wake of the incident, local authorities confirmed that 16 people were injured in the Khmelnytskyi region due to the continuous attacks by Russian forces.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy Infrastructure reported that the falling debris from the intercepted drone caused considerable damage, breaking windows in the administrative building and the laboratory of the local nuclear plant. Moreover, it resulted in a power outage that affected more than 1,800 customers. The nuclear plant in question is located approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) east of the Polish-Ukrainian border.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concerns about the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as the war has now entered its 21st month. In his address, he emphasized that Ukraine's air defenses are preparing for another winter of potential Russian aggression aimed at the country's energy infrastructure. However, he also highlighted Ukraine's intention to take the fight to Russia through an ongoing counteroffensive.
“This year, we will not only defend ourselves but also respond,” President Zelenskyy declared. “The enemy knows this well.”
Last winter, Russia's drones and missiles targeted Ukraine's power grid, in what was widely seen as an attempt to weaken the country's resolve and resistance by disrupting civilian heating during the harsh winter months. Ukraine described this as an attempt to "weaponize winter."