Russia’s war on Ukraine has entered a new phase. Drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are now frequent and massive, overwhelming its current air defences.

They often include the same Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Tehran at Israel.

Seeing the robust response to that attack by Israel’s allies, President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that when it came to Ukraine “rhetoric does not protect the sky”. He said the sound of those drones, whether over the Middle East or in Europe, “must serve as a wake-up call to the free world”.

Officials in Ukraine say they can “count on one hand” the thermal and hydro power plants across the country that are not yet badly damaged or totally destroyed. As Ukraine scrambles to repair what it can, and keep the electricity flowing to homes and industry, Russia’s assault has not stopped.

A major facility close to Kyiv was hit last week and to the northeast, in Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, all three major power plants are in ruins.

The red-and-white striped chimneys of Kharkiv’s Thermal Power Plant No.5 are still visible from miles away. Approach a little closer, and the destruction beneath is revealed. The main building has a huge hole blown through the heart of it. All around is a mess of blackened metal and smashed concrete.

The attack on 22 March was deliberate and devastating. Five Russian missiles struck the same spot, mangling turbines, generators and transformers and taking the plant offline. A week later, Russia targeted the city’s power plants again.

Read Original Article