Ukraine's Energy Grid: Over 350 Russian Strikes Since September

Since September, Russian forces have carried out over 350 strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, hitting more than 800 pieces of equipment, according to Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. He announced this during a government question hour in the Verkhovna Rada. The strikes targeted substation equipment and generating capacities. Shmyhal reported that 235 transformers currently have second-level protection, with only one case of such equipment being hit by a ballistic missile in the past six months. The minister emphasized that protective structures significantly reduce energy system restoration time after attacks. Without them, repairs at current strike intensity would take months. Earlier, officials reported the need to accelerate protection of Kyiv region's energy facilities, planning second-level defense for key substations by November 15.