Russia attacked energy facilities in southern Ukrainian Odesa region, officials say

KYIV: Russia attacked energy facilities in the southern Ukrainian Odesa region overnight, causing fires and blackouts, the local governor and emergency service said on Friday.

Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram the drone attack left several settlements in the region, where Ukraine’s main seaports are concentrated, without electricity.

Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector and infrastructure in recent weeks, targeting power stations and railway hubs as winter deepens and the war approaches its fourth anniversary.

Ukraine’s biggest power company DTEK said in a statement that one of its sub-stations and another unspecified energy facility belonging to another firm were hit.

DTEK said it had restored power to 40,000 customers, however 90,000 were still without.

Earlier this week, the government approved a series of measures to save electricity as entire regions often go without power following Russian attacks.