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Ukraine war: Russia air strikes target more power facilities Ukraine war: Russia air strikes target more power facilities
(about 3 hours later)
Russia strikes have crippled power plants across Ukraine in recent daysRussia strikes have crippled power plants across Ukraine in recent days
Air strikes have hit critical infrastructure in central and western Ukraine, as Russia continues to target the country's energy grid.Air strikes have hit critical infrastructure in central and western Ukraine, as Russia continues to target the country's energy grid.
Sites to the south and west of Kyiv have been struck and power cuts have been reported across the country.Sites to the south and west of Kyiv have been struck and power cuts have been reported across the country.
Ukrainian officials say many Russian cruise missiles have been intercepted by air defence systems. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the "massive attack" but said most of the Russian rockets had been shot down.
Almost a third of the country's power stations have been destroyed in a wave of air strikes since Monday last week.Almost a third of the country's power stations have been destroyed in a wave of air strikes since Monday last week.
On Saturday Ukrainian officials said "critical infrastructure" had been hit in the Cherkasy region, south-east of the capital Kyiv. A huge fire has been reported near the town of Smila. An aide to President Zelensky, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said about a million and a half households were now without electricity.
There have been blackouts in Khmelnytskyi, further west. Air strikes and power disruptions are also being reported from Odesa in the south to Rivne and Lutsk in the north-west.
The national electricity operator, Ukrenergo, said it would limit supply in several regions, including Kyiv. Saturday's strikes may have caused more damage than intense bombardment earlier this month, it added.
The government introduced restrictions on the use of power for the first time on Thursday.
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Ukraine's air force command said its defence systems had destroyed 18 Russian cruise missiles launched on Saturday morning. The areas targeted by the latest attacks include the Cherkasy region, south-east of the capital Kyiv, and the city of Khmelnytskyi, further west.
Air strikes and power disruptions were also reported from Odesa in the south to Rivne and Lutsk in the north-west.
The national electricity operator, Ukrenergo, said the strikes may have caused more damage than intense bombardment earlier this month.
President Zelensky said: "The enemy launched a massive attack: 36 rockets, most of which were shot down. These are vile strikes on critical objects."
The latest wave of strikes have also wrecked many homesThe latest wave of strikes have also wrecked many homes
The deputy mayor of the western city of Lviv, Serhiy Kiral, told the BBC on Saturday that Russia's strategy was to damage critical infrastructure before the winter, and bring the war to areas beyond the front line.The deputy mayor of the western city of Lviv, Serhiy Kiral, told the BBC on Saturday that Russia's strategy was to damage critical infrastructure before the winter, and bring the war to areas beyond the front line.
"The more successes the Ukrainian armed forces are having at the front the worse it's going to be for people on the home front because Russia is going to do all it can to target civilians and to target critical infrastructure," he said in an interview with the Newshour radio programme."The more successes the Ukrainian armed forces are having at the front the worse it's going to be for people on the home front because Russia is going to do all it can to target civilians and to target critical infrastructure," he said in an interview with the Newshour radio programme.
On Friday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of planting mines at a hydroelectric dam in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which is under the control of Moscow's forces. On Friday Mr Zelensky accused Russia of planting mines at a hydroelectric dam in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which is under the control of Moscow's forces.
He said that if the Kakhovka hydropower plant was destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people would be in danger of flooding. Russia has denied planning to blow up the dam and said Ukraine was firing missiles at it.He said that if the Kakhovka hydropower plant was destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people would be in danger of flooding. Russia has denied planning to blow up the dam and said Ukraine was firing missiles at it.
Neither side produced evidence to support their claims.
The dam may provide Russia with one of the few remaining routes across the River Dnieper (called Dnipro by Ukrainians) in the partially occupied Kherson region.The dam may provide Russia with one of the few remaining routes across the River Dnieper (called Dnipro by Ukrainians) in the partially occupied Kherson region.
Russia is moving civilians from the areas under its control, in expectation of a Ukrainian offensive to take the city. Thousands of civilians have been leaving the city of Kherson in recent days, as Ukrainian forces advance. And on Saturday a new directive from occupying Russian authorities was released, renewing its appeal for civilians to leave "immediately".
Across the border, in Russia's Belgorod region, the local governor said two people had been killed in Ukrainian shelling.