Military

Russian Strikes Target Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

Published JUN 1 2024

Story

Image credit: Adri Salido/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Coming in the wake of US approval for American weapons to be used in Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Russian missiles and drones targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday.
guardian
Throughout the war, Russia has frequently launched large-scale retaliatory attacks on Ukraine following actions it deemed unacceptable or seen to be escalating the conflict.
France 24
During Saturday's attack, Ukraine's Air Force said Russia deployed 53 missiles and 47 drones, adding that 35 missiles and 46 drones were shot down and destroyed.
Ukrinform
The attacks targeted power plants and other energy facilities in five regions of Ukraine — namely, the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zaporizhzhia. Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine's energy minister, described it as: "Another extremely difficult night for the Ukrainian energy sector."
Ukrainska Pravda
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched attacks of its own into Russia, namely in the Belgorod region that borders Kharkiv. Russian officials did not specify how many missiles were fired, but suggested that all of them had been shot down by missile defenses. This could not be independently confirmed.
TASS
Elsewhere, further details have emerged about the US authorization of its weapons striking Russian territory late on Friday. An official from the US National Security Council confirmed that the authorization does not extend to the use of the long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
Ukrainska Pravda

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The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

Russia's deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure — unnecessarily increasing the suffering of civilians — amounts to war crimes. This continuing Russian barbarity must be confronted.

CNBC

Pro-Russia narrative

Attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are a direct consequence of the failure of the country's leadership to meaningfully engage in peace talks and thinking they can defeat Russia on the battlefield. These attacks will stop once a more sober position is reached.

TASS

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 50% chance there will be a bilateral cease-fire or peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by February 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.