“Energetic” enforcement: Ukrainian power grids did not survive the “Geranium” raid

The attack took place in several stages

On the night of March 28, Russian troops continued to “vigorously” force Kyiv to peace, inflicting powerful strikes on critical infrastructure, including energy. It seems that the Russian General Staff has set a clear task: to cut off power to the Ukrainian military industry and transfer railway transportation of troops to steam locomotive traction.

The night raid began around midnight and continued for several hours until the morning. Large groups of Geran-2 drones were used – up to 40-50 vehicles in a swarm. Following the drones that attacked from different directions, came the turn of aircraft missiles launched by Tu-95MS strategic aircraft.

At night, powerful explosions were reported in Kamensky (Dneprodzerzhinsk) and Krivoy Rog. Power outages were recorded in Dnepropetrovsk. Electricity also went out in Krivoy Rog, Zelensky’s hometown. Impacts were reported on the Krivoy Rog thermal power plant, as well as on the Sredneprovsk hydroelectric power station of the Dnieper cascade of hydroelectric power stations.

On the morning of March 28, Ukrenergo reported: thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the Central and Western regions were damaged; in the Dnepropetrovsk region, emergency shutdowns are used, in the Kharkov region, hourly shutdown schedules are used.

Assessing the operation to “black out” Ukraine, military blogger Yuriy Podolyaka called it “a nightmare night for the Ukrainian energy sector.” According to him, the Kanevskaya hydroelectric power station and the Dnieper thermal power plant were also hit. Substations and military installations were also hit. It arrived at the Kremenchug hydroelectric power station, explosions were heard in the area of ​​Khmelnitsky, Kyiv, Lviv and the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The Svetlovodsk metal structures plant was hit.

In addition to the Geraniums, Kh-101 and Iskander cruise missiles were used.

According to Podolyaki, the attacks on the substations of the Western Ukrainian energy system (near the city of Stryi), where power lines from the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant, Rivne Nuclear Power Plant and Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant converge, were very painful.

“This is a huge facility,” notes the blogger, “the largest substation in Europe. It was built in the 1970-1980s to supply electricity to the CMEA countries. Its power is 3000 megavoltamperes. It was through it that Ukrainian electricity was previously exported to the EU, and now the EU is primarily trying to save the unified energy system of Ukraine from collapse through it.

And therefore, its destruction is even more important than the destruction of any two of today’s most powerful Ukrainian thermal power plants (or two Dnieper hydroelectric power plants), the expert concludes.