Ukraine targeted a heat and power station in the Moscow region with drones on Sunday, causing a significant fire and leaving thousands without heating. This attack is one of the largest strikes on a deep-rooted Russian infrastructure during the ongoing conflict, which is now in its fourth year. Previously, Ukraine mainly focused on destroying Russian oil facilities.
The Shatura Power Station, located about 120 km from Moscow, was struck, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov. Video showed flames and smoke coming from the station. Some drones were intercepted by air defenses, but others hit the facility, starting a fire. Vorobyov mentioned that backup power was activated and mobile heating systems were being sent to the area, where temperatures were near freezing. The town of Shatura has around 33,000 residents, and local reports indicated that there was no heating available.
Recent weeks have seen numerous power outages in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks, while Ukraine has focused on targeting Russia’s energy revenues. The Kremlin reported the downing of 75 Ukrainian drones on the same day, leading to a temporary halt of flights at Vnukovo airport. The Shatura power station is among the oldest in Russia, originally built under Lenin and now primarily using natural gas.
With information from Reuters