Latest Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid 'largest since start of war'

The latest wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure Aug. 26 targeted transmission assets across 10 regions, the country's Ministry of Energy said Aug. 27.

Facilities were hit in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi and Chernihiv regions, the ministry said.

"On Aug. 26, the enemy carried out the largest missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian energy system since the beginning of the war," said system operator Ukrenergo.

"An employee was killed in an enemy attack on one of the facilities. Another employee was injured and taken to hospital," the ministry said.

Emergency imports of electricity were received from Slovakia and Poland, the ministry said.

Some 543 communities remained without power Aug. 27, with substations damaged in the east of the country and overhead lines destroyed in southerly and central regions.

A Ukrainian foreign ministry official also confirmed to the BBC that a hydropower plant in the Kyiv region had been targeted.

"A large-scale repair campaign is underway, with power engineers working to ensure the stability and integrity of the power system and prepare it for the autumn and winter period," the ministry said, calling on consumers to use power "rationally and economically."

"The key task is to get through the next winter," Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a forum Aug. 27.

The government had three priorities, the PM said.

The first was allocating funds and importing equipment for central generation and transmission repairs.

The second was a program to encourage industry to invest in decentralized generation, while the third was a similar drive to get households to do likewise.

In early August independent generator DTEK said it had made "some progress" in acquiring used equipment in Europe, but would only share details once dismantling of damaged power stations was complete.

DTEK's available capacity had been reduced by 80% prior to the latest attacks. The company supplies around 20% of Ukraine's electricity. Overall, the country is reported to have lost around 50% of central thermal generation capacity.