Moscow renewed strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, prompting retaliatory attacks on refineries by Kiev.
Russia and Ukraine renewed attacks on energy infrastructure overnight, damaging power plants and causing fires, officials from the warring countries said.
The Ukrainian military said in its regular situation update on Saturday that Russia had hit Ukraine with a “massive missile attack”. Energy Minister German Galushchenko also said in a Facebook post that the “enemy” has again attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
“In particular, facilities in the Dnepropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv regions were attacked. There was damage to the equipment,” he said.
Plant operator DTEK said equipment at four thermal plants was “heavily damaged” in the overnight strikes.
State electricity operator Ukrenergo added that it had disconnected its main overhead power line in the west of the country as a precautionary measure.
“We ask all consumers to use electricity sparingly. Industry is required to maximize electricity imports and use alternative energy sources,” Ukrenergo said.
Ukraine also said 21 drones out of 34 were also shot down in the latest Russian strike.
In recent months, Moscow has launched some of its most significant strikes against Ukraine's energy facilities, knocking out a significant portion of production and triggering blackouts.
Kiev says Moscow is stepping up its attacks ahead of its nationwide celebrations on May 9, when Russia celebrates victory in World War II, and as Ukraine awaits the arrival of highly anticipated US weapons.
Ukraine targets Russian oil refineries
At the same time, Ukraine attacked the Ilsky and Slavyansk oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar region with drones on Saturday morning, causing fires at the facilities, a Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters.
The attack was carried out by the SBU security service, the unnamed source said, adding that drones also targeted the Kushchevsk military airport in the same region overnight.
“The SBU continues to effectively target military and infrastructure facilities behind enemy lines,” the source said.
Al Jazeera's John Holman, reporting from Kiev, said Ukrainian firms are developing long-range drones that can reach Russia and target refineries.
“This strategy has been playing out in recent weeks,” he said.
Kiev officials said they considered Russian oil refineries legitimate targets despite calls from Western allies to halt the attacks to avoid possible Russian retaliation and a rise in global oil prices.
Local authorities in Russia said an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region had suspended operations following the attack.
Roman Siniagovskyi, head of Russia's Slavyansk administrative district, also said in Telegram that nine attacks were carried out on a storage tank and a distillation column, a key piece of equipment in the refining process.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also reiterated on Saturday that there are currently no grounds for peace talks due to Kiev's formal refusal to negotiate with Moscow.
In 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed a decree formally declaring the prospect of any Ukrainian talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin “impossible”, leaving the door open to talks with what he called “another president of Russia”.
