Russia hits key Ukrainian targets, Ukraine strengthens defense

MOSCOW/KYIV: Russia said on Saturday to have hit important Ukrainian targets over the past week, while Ukraine stated on the same day that it had strengthened defense against Russia, according to their latest updates on the conflict.

On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a report stating that from March 23 to 30, the Russian military utilised weapons, including Zirkon hypersonic missiles, Kizhal ballistic missiles, and drones, to carry out large-scale strikes and 57 group strikes on Ukrainian military facilities and supporting infrastructure.

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Ukrainian military enterprises, decision-making centers of the Ukrainian armed forces and the Ukrainian Security Service, unmanned boat production workshops, energy facilities, and other targets were hit.

According to Ukrainian media reports on the same day, the largest power plant in eastern Ukraine, the Zmiivska thermal power plant (TPP) in Kharkiv region, was destroyed in a missile attack by the Russian army on March 22.

The head of Ukraine’s Energy Industry Research Center (EIR Center) said on Friday that Ukraine has lost 10 to 12 percent of its power generation capacity since the Russian military launched large-scale air-strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, and it will be difficult to repair it in the short term.

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The Ukrainian National News Agency reported on Saturday that the Dnipropetrovsk region was stepping up the construction of various fortifications. The head of the military administration in Zaporizhzhia region also stated on the same day that measures had been taken to strengthen its defense.