Emergency power shutdowns were imposed for most of Ukraine on June 2 after Russia kicked off the month of June by unleashing a barrage of attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure that resulted in at least 19 injuries.
Power shutdowns were in place in most of Ukraine’s regions following the June 1 missile and drone attacks.
Ukraine’s military reported that it shot down 35 of the 53 missiles fired at targets on the night of June 1. It also claimed to have destroyed 46 of the 47 attack drones.
Twelve people, including eight children, were injured in the Kharkiv region after a strike hit near two houses.
DTEK, Ukraine’s private energy firm, said two power plants, which had already been attacked five times in the last ten weeks, sustained serious damage in the June 1 attacks.
According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, energy infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, and Zaphorizhzhia were targeted.
State-owned power operator Ukrenergo said the emergency shutdowns would affect household and industrial consumers.
The sustained attacks on the country’s power grid in recent weeks forced Kyiv to institute rolling blackouts nationwide.
A barrage of attacks in April damaged Kyiv’s thermal power plant. A subsequent attack in early May targeted transmission and power-generating facilities in several regions of the country.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed last Sunday that it had taken control of the Donetsk village of Umanske.
While Russia’s latest offensive is focused on the northeastern region of Kharkiv, its forces are also testing Ukraine’s defenses further south in Donetsk while also launching incursions on the Sumy and Chernihiv regions to the north.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said last weekend that it shot down two Ukrainian-made drones over the Belgorod region of Russia, just over the border with Ukraine.
National Security press secretary John Kirby confirmed on June 2 that President Biden agreed to allow Ukraine to use some US-supplied weapons to strike against the “imminent threats just across the border.”
