The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is in an “extremely dangerous” situation following a wave of Russian strikes overnight on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, officials reported.
“The situation is extremely dangerous and threatens an emergency,” said Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, Ukraine’s largest power supplier which runs the site.
The strikes took out a power line that links the station to Ukraine’s grid, leaving just one remaining connection to the country’s energy system. “If the last communication with the domestic power grid is severed, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will suffer another blackout,” said Mr Kotin.
The overnight barrage, which included over 90 missiles and 60 drone attacks, also caused a fire to break out at the Dnipro dam in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant. Meanwhile, strikes on energy infrastructure in Kharkiv caused a near-complete loss of power in the city, with at least 15 explosions reported.
“The enemy launched one of the largest attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector in recent weeks,” Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister, reported.
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22 March 2024 • 10:41am
10:41AM
Ukrainian army official ‘embezzled £1m meant to feed soldiers’
A senior Ukrainian army official who allegedly embezzled more than £1 million meant to buy rations for the military has been detained.
The suspect, named locally as Oleksandr Kozlovsky, was working as the head of a military department that procured food for soldiers before his arrest.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation claimed he had used the funds to buy an apartment in Kyiv, a dozen plots of land and a car instead of spending the money on supplies for the military.
“From 2022 to 2023, the official acquired unsubstantiated assets in the amount of almost 58 million hryvnia (£1.18 million),” the agency said.
Read the full report here.
10:29AM
Watch: Russian missile strikes Dnipro dam
Footage of Russian missile strike on Dnipro dam this morning. Note decoy flares to counter air defences. Meanwhile Putin spokesman Peskov says Russia has moved from “special military operation” to “state of war.” Possibly a signal they are preparing ground for extra mobilisation. pic.twitter.com/aXxGjCgsYy
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) March 22, 2024
10:10AM
Russia is in a ‘state of war’, says the Kremlin
Russia is in a “state of war” with Ukraine, the Kremlin has said, in a major escalation of its official language used to describe the conflict.
“We are in a state of war. Yes, it started as a special military operation, but as soon as this bunch was formed there, when the collective West became a participant on Ukraine’s side, for us it already became a war,” Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said in an interview to a pro-Kremlin newspaper published on Friday.
Mr Peskov’s remarks represent one of very few times Moscow has addressed the true nature of its so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine.
9:53AM
Ukraine’s largest dam in ‘critical’ condition amid wave of Russian strikes
Ukraine’s largest dam has been left in “critical” condition after a wave of Russian strikes damaged its generators, officials reported.
The Dnipro hydroelectric power plant contains two generator units – called HPP-1 and HPP-2 – the first of which is out of service and the latter of which is in a “critical condition” following a direct hit.
“We are losing the plant,” said Ihor Syrota, the director of Ukrhydroenergo which manages the dam. “HPP-2 is in jeopardy and we don’t know to what extent and with what capacity it will be able to operate. This is all due to missile strikes.”
Smoke rises from Ukraine’s largest dam, the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia, after a Russian missile attack
Credit: Twitter
“There were two missile strikes. HPP-2 suffered a direct hit. One missile damaged overhead crane beams, hitting the supports. So HPP-2 is in critical condition and HPP-1 is also currently out of service.”
Mr Syrota added that Ukrhydroenergo is taking measures to raise the floodgates, as water is currently unable to pass through the generation turbines, and must completely restore the facility’s engine room and electrical equipment.
“We will assess the aftermath within a day and get a clearer picture of the damage. And whether it [HPP-2] will be able to operate, at least in a limited capacity, or whether it will be out of service entirely,” he said.
9:37AM
Zelensky blames Western politicians after Russia launches strikes across Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with over 90 missiles and 60 drones, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The strikes targeted Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, including the Dnipro dam in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant.
The Ukrainian president called on the country’s allies to deliver air defence systems to protect against airborne attacks.
“Russian missiles have no delays, unlike aid packages for Ukraine. ‘Shahed’ drones have no indecision, unlike some politicians. It is critical to understand the cost of delays and postponed decisions.”
This night, Russia launched over 60 “Shahed” drones and nearly 90 missiles of various types at Ukraine. The world sees the Russian terrorists’ targets as clearly as possible: power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, and even a… pic.twitter.com/5dX2fAMMiE
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2024
Images of the Dnipro dam posted on social media show a large fire with black smoke rising into the air. Officials later reported there is no threat of the dam breaching.
“Patriot systems must protect Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia; air defence is required to protect people, infrastructure, homes, and dams,” added Volodymyr Zelensky, renewing his call for the west to resupply Ukraine with air defence systems.
“Our partners know exactly what is needed. They can definitely support us. These are necessary decisions. Life must be protected from these savages from Moscow.”
8:44AM
Washington urges Ukraine to ‘halt strikes on Russian oil refineries’
The US has called on Ukraine to stop its attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, cautioning the strikes risk driving up global oil prices and provoking retaliation, the Financial Times reported.
A series of warnings from Washington were delivered to senior officials at Ukraine’s state security service, the SBU, and its military intelligence directorate, called the GUR, three people familiar with the discussions told the paper.
One person said that the White House had grown more and more frustrated by Ukrainian drone attacks that have struck oil facilities across western Russia, hurting its oil production capacity.
The intervention comes amid a spate of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities – with nine carried out this year so far – that have wiped out around 12 per cent of Moscow’s overall oil production, leading to a spike in global prices.
The White House is also allegedly concerned that if Ukraine keeps hitting Russian facilities, including many that are hundreds of miles from the border, Russia could retaliate by lashing out at energy infrastructure relied on by the West.
8:20AM
Russian strikes on Kharkiv cause city-wide blackout
Russian overnight strikes on energy infrastructure in the city of Kharkiv have caused a near-complete loss of power in the city, with at least 15 explosions reported.
The city’s transportation network is also down and water supplies disrupted, according to local reports.
Kharkiv electricity facilities hit by 15 ballistic missiles from Russia, plunging the city into total blackout. Water supply disrupted, no city transportation. Now more than ever, people of Ukraine urgently need your voices of support. pic.twitter.com/H25lKbmaNo
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 22, 2024
“The enemy launched one of the largest attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector in recent weeks,” Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister, wrote on Facebook.
“The goal is not just to damage it, but, just like last year, to cause a large-scale disruption in the country’s energy system.”
8:11AM
Europe’s largest nuclear plant in ‘extremely dangerous’ position after Russian strikes
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is in an “extremely dangerous” situation following a wave of Russian strikes overnight on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, officials reported.
“The situation is extremely dangerous and threatens an emergency,” said Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, Ukraine’s largest power supplier which runs the site.
The strikes took out a power line that links the station to Ukraine’s grid, leaving just one remaining connection to the country’s energy system. “If the last communication with the domestic power grid is severed, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will suffer another blackout,” said Mr Kotin.
The plant was occupied by Russia in March 2022 and is no longer generating power, but needs a supply of electricity to cool one of its four reactors.
Disruption to power lines at the site have caused several blackouts at the facility since Russia’s invasion, with Ukrainian officials repeatedly warning of the threat of nuclear catastrophe that power outages pose.
7:53AM
Pictured: the aftermath of yesterday’s strikes on Kyiv
Ukrainian municipal services workers survey and repair the damage following a missile attack in Kyiv
Credit: AFP
An explosion is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian missile strike on Kyiv
Credit: Gleb Garanich/REUTERS
7:50AM
In case you missed it: Kyiv blitzed by Russian missiles as revenge for raids
Volodymyr Zelensky urged European leaders to hand over dozens more air-defence systems on Thursday after at least 17 people were injured in a Russian missile barrage against Kyiv, writes Joe Barnes.
Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down all 31 hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles that were launched at the capital for the first time in more than a month.
Residential buildings, medical facilities and businesses were damaged as the burning debris of the intercepted projectiles were rained down on the city.
Moscow had vowed revenge for a recent spate of cross-border attacks on Russian border regions and also coincided with the two-year anniversary since the liberation of the Kyiv region in the early days of the war.
Read Joe’s full report here.
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