President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that Ukraine's depleted stockpile of defensive missiles led to the destruction of a crucial power plant serving Kyiv by Russian forces. Zelenskyy's remarks, made during an interview with US news outlet PBS, underscored Ukraine's urgent pleas for additional air defense support from its allies amidst escalating Russian strikes on its infrastructure.
The Trypilska thermal power plant (TTPP), a major electricity provider for the Kyiv region, fell victim to Russian missile attacks on April 11. Zelenskyy detailed the assault, revealing that while Ukrainian forces managed to intercept seven of the eleven incoming missiles, the remaining four successfully targeted and destroyed the plant, situated in the village of Trypillia. He attributed the plant's vulnerability to a lack of defensive missiles, stating plainly, "We ran out of missiles to defend Trypillia."
Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has faced challenges in persuading Western allies to bolster its air defense capabilities. With Russia intensifying assaults on Ukrainian infrastructure, Kyiv is renewing its appeals for urgent ammunition support. Specifically, Ukraine has emphasized the need for 25 Patriot missile systems to adequately safeguard its energy infrastructure across the country. Germany has committed to supplying a third Patriot system, while the United States and other allies have previously provided similar systems and missiles.
This recent wave of attacks represents the second concerted effort by Russia to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the invasion over two years ago. The relentless assault is taking a toll, prompting Ukrenergo, the national grid operator, to warn of the urgent need for an overhaul of the energy system to mitigate further damage.
Moscow has defended its actions, claiming that the attacks are aimed at diminishing Ukraine's military capability and are retaliatory measures in response to recent incidents within Russia.
Comments
Post a Comment