Large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine’s energy sector, Poland activates its air defenses
Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine’s energy system in the western part of the country on Saturday morning, causing widespread power outages and prompting Poland to activate its air defense systems.
The attack targeted power generation facilities and distribution networks in several regions, leading to significant electricity disruptions. The intensity of the strikes compelled Poland to take precautionary security measures to protect its airspace.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Russia had carried out a “new intensive attack” on energy infrastructure, confirming that the shelling struck the Burshtyn and Dobrotvir power plants in western Ukraine.
He added that the government was forced to implement emergency power cuts across most regions, noting that energy repair teams were ready to begin restoration work as soon as security conditions improved.
For its part, Ukraine’s electricity grid operator, Ukrenergo, announced that Russia was conducting a “large-scale attack” on power grid facilities, confirming that the damage caused by the strikes had resulted in electricity outages across vast parts of the country, while the attacks were still ongoing.
Ukrainian officials accuse Moscow of deliberately targeting energy infrastructure, exacerbating the humanitarian situation, particularly as temperatures fall below freezing and thousands of residents are left without heating.
Polish military alert
Amid the intense attacks on western Ukraine, the Polish military announced that it had deployed military aircraft to carry out operations in the country’s airspace as a preventive measure aimed at securing the skies, confirming that no violations of Polish airspace had been recorded.
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces stated that the measures were “preventive in nature” and focused in particular on areas near the Ukrainian border, given the heavy Russian bombardment.
Polish authorities also announced the temporary suspension of operations at Rzeszów and Lublin airports in the southeast of the country, as a precautionary step linked to the Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory. Rzeszów is a key NATO hub for the delivery of military assistance to Kyiv.
In the same context, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reported that both airports were temporarily unavailable due to military activity related to ensuring state security. Flight operations at the two airports had also been briefly suspended last month under similar circumstances.
This military escalation comes despite the continuation of Ukrainian-Russian talks mediated by the United States, with the two sides having held two rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi since January.
