Half Of Kiev At Risk Of Blackout After Russian Strikes On Infrastructure

Almost half of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, may be left without power due to damage to the energy infrastructure in the Kiev region following Russian airstrikes, Ukrainian energy supplying company YASNO said on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian energy utility Ukrenergo said that the main power grid in the central regions of Ukraine was damaged forcing Kiev, Chernihiv and Zhytomyr regions to impose restrictions on electricity consumption. The Deputy Head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, also said that another critical energy facility was hit during the night.

"Kiev normally consumes 1,000-1,200 MW. Now the approximate available capacity is 600-800 MW. That is, almost half of Kiev may be left without power," the company said on its social media.

The company added that the energy infrastructure in the Kiev region was severely damaged as a result of the massive strikes.

Energy facilities in Kiev and other parts of Ukraine have been targeted by Russia using high-precision strikes starting October 10 in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure and the bombing of the Crimean bridge on October 8. Authorities in Kiev have urged people to reduce their use of electricity and resorted to rolling blackouts.