Ukrainian energy ministry halts electricity exports due to Russian missile strikes
The Ukrainian energy ministry said it will halt exports of electricity to the European Union following Russian missile strikes on energy infrastructure on Monday.
"Today's missile strikes, which hit the thermal generation and electrical substations, forced Ukraine to suspend electricity exports from 11 October, 2022 to stabilse its own energy system," the ministry said in a statement on its website.
Russia earlier on Monday launched its most widespread missile strikes on Ukraine since the start of the conflict, raining cruise missiles on cities and knocking out power supplies, in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called revenge for a blown up bridge.
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Ukraine's energy minister Herman Halushchenko said the attacks on the energy system were "the biggest during the entire war."
In a TV broadcast he said that missile strikes "on the entire chain of supply (were made) in order to make switching supply as difficult as possible."
In June, Ukrainian energy ministry said it was hoping to bring in 1.5 billion euros ($1.45 billion) from electricity exports to the EU, its main export market for energy since the war began, by the end of the year.
Russia launched its invasion on Ukraine on 24 February It has repeatedly denied attacks on civilian targets.
($1 = 1.0321 euros)
