Russia strikes Ukrainian energy facilities
Russia has attacked and damaged
Ukrainian energy facilities across
multiple regions the strikes are part of
a renewed Russian focus on destroying
energy supplies but Ukraine is expecting
a boost in the form of new weapons and
support from the US cbc’s Dominic valtis
is in London and joins us now this
morning so Dominic what more can you
tell us about these Russian
attacks well Maran Ukraine’s Air Force
says Russia launched 34 crws and
ballistic missiles at Power facilities
in three separate regions overnight so
in nepro Pros Ivano Franks and in Lviv
and although air defenses took out the
majority of them 13 did get through and
did reach their intended targets we’re
told Maran that four thermal power
stations were hit in total and that an
employee at one site was injured now
this of course is a bit of a recurring
theme both sides in this conflict have
been going after each other’s uh energy
facilities for some time now indeed
Ukrainian drones reportedly hit two
Russian oil refineries today causing
Fires at both facilities forcing one of
them to partially suspend operations but
certainly in recent weeks uh Russian
forces especially have ramped up their
bombardments on the Ukrainian power
sector attacking uh thermal and Hydro
power stations on an almost daily basis
and as a result Ukraine has according to
officials lost about 80% of its thermal
generation and about 35% of its Hydro
power capacity and is now facing an
electricity deficit which in turn is
forcing the government to introduce
scheduled blackouts in parts of the
country and increasingly turn to
emergency Imports of electricity so no
surprise this morning Marian that
president zalinski has issued a new
appeal for air defenses from allies in
light of these latest strikes which are
having a real impact on the country’s
energy infrastructure Mar Dominic we
also know that the US announced the
purchase of more weapons for Ukraine so
what’s the latest on that
commitment yeah that’s right and this is
a$6 billion package of new weapons that
the United States says it will buy and
send to Ukraine it’s actually part of
that overall $61 billion package for
Ukraine which President Joe Biden signed
into law on Wednesday so we now have a
bit of a better idea of where some of
that cash is going what it’s going to be
spent on the details were actually
revealed Yesterday by us defense
secretary Lloyd Austin here’s a little
more of what he had to say about how the
money will be used take a listen this is
the largest security assistance package
that we’ve committed to
date it will include critical
interceptors for Ukraine’s Patriot and
nay Sam’s air defense systems more
counter drone systems and support
equipment significant amounts of
artillery ammunition and air to ground
Munitions and maintenance and
sustainment
support and as you heard there Maran the
US will be sending Ukraine Patriot air
defense interceptors missiles not
complete patriot systems which is
something president zalinski uh is
desperate to get more of as Ukraine
currently only has a handful of them and
although they are expensive at about a
billion dollars a go they are arguably
the most effective but as I say ke will
at least soon be getting more missiles
for those Patriot systems it does own
and US officials are hoping that they
along with the other bits and pieces
they’ll soon be sending will help
Ukraine rebuild defenses and refit its
forces as it recovers from that lengthy
delay in US assistance maram thanks
Dominic that’s the cbc’s Dominic valitus
in London
A Russian missile attack pounded power facilities in the centre and west of Ukraine on Saturday. In recent weeks, Russia has ramped up their bombardment of the Ukrainian energy facilities.
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