Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant, the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, sustained critical damage following an overnight strike by Russian forces on June 1, according to Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov. Speaking on national television, Fedorov confirmed that the plant has halted electricity production.
In addition to the damage to the power plant, the attack has severely disrupted local transportation. Traffic across the Dnipro Dam has been blocked, restricting movement for residents.
The regional governor did not provide further details regarding the extent of the damages caused by the attack.
The strike on the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station was part of a larger-scale drone and missile assault on Ukraine overnight on June 1, which targeted energy infrastructure across various regions of the country. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has destroyed the Kakhovka hydropower and fired more than 110 missiles at all of Ukrhydroenergo’s hydropower and pumped storage plants, the company said.
The Dnipro Dam, an essential piece of infrastructure, raises the Dnipro River by 37m and regulates the water level of the Dnipro Reservoir.