Page 6 - Zhytomyr News Today

Ukraine faces power deficits caused by Russian attacks on its energy system, forcing Kyiv to temporarily restrict power supply to businesses and industrial facilities on April 23, Ukraine's state-owned energy operator Ukrenergo reported.

The collapse of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last year due to Russia’s war brought the entire country to its knees. Russia resumed missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in late March, leaving over a million consumers across the country without power. Around 700,000 people in Kharkiv Oblast, at least 200,000 people in Odesa Oblast, 200,000 people in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and 110,000 people in Poltava Oblast faced blackouts.

Decommissioned power plants in Germany and Lithuania are being examined to see if parts can be salvaged and sent to Kyiv in order to repair and restore Ukrainian energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.

Ukrainian anti-aircraft units shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for the first time, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on April 19. The Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in Russia's Stavropol Krai on the morning of April 19, just after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Specifically, the country is devoting 150 million euros ($160 million) to Germany's Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative. The Netherlands has also allocated 60 million euros ($64 million) for the purchase of short-range air defense hardware, for example, to combat Russian drones.

Exclusive interview with Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) Maksym Dotsenko to Interfax-Ukraine

Cross-linked news, and information resources about Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine

The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers promised on April 19 to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities to protect civilians and critical infrastructure from Russian attacks.

NATO members are discussing sending some of their air defense systems to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference after the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting in Capri on April 18.

"In addition to Patriots, there are other weapons that allies can provide, including (the French system) SAMP/T, and many others, who do not have available systems, have pledged to provide financial support to purchase them for Ukraine," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.