Russian shelling of Ukrainian energy infrastructure led to widespread power outages overnight in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said Monday.
Moscow has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities in recent months, knocking out a significant chunk of production, and triggering blackouts and energy rationing across the country.
“The enemy shelled energy infrastructure in Sumy region overnight. More than 400,000 households in Sumy and other towns and villages of the region were cut off from electricity supply,” the Energy Ministry said.
Power had been “partially restored” in the morning, it added.
The Sumy region borders Russia and has been targeted throughout Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, it has faced an increase in strikes, as has the neighboring Kharkiv region.
“Consumers in the Kharkiv region were also cut off,” the ministry said.
Kyiv says Moscow is escalating attacks ahead of the arrival of U.S. weapons and equipment, as well as nationwide celebrations on May 9, when Russia marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.