17 Shahed Drones Used in Russian Attack on Ukraine, Fire Erupts at Energy Facility near Kryvyi Rih

Russian troops initiated an assault with 17 Shahed-type kamikaze drones and a Kh-59 guided air missile over Ukraine early on Friday, April 12, as reported by Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleschuk on Telegram.

The Shahed drones were launched from Cape Chauda (Crimea), while the Kh-59 missile originated from the airspace of the occupied Donetsk region.

Ukrainian Air Force aviation and mobile fire units from the Defense Forces of Ukraine successfully shot down 16 drones within the regions of Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, and Khmelnytsky.

Following the downing of a kamikaze drone, fragments caused a fire to erupt at an energy facility near Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

“The enemy targeted the energy infrastructure across various regions of Ukraine,” stated the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine on Telegram.

The Russian forces directed multiple waves of “Shaheds” from the south, with the combat effort to repel the air attack lasting approximately 5 hours.

“As a result of the downed drone fragments in Kryvorizhzhia, a fire broke out at the energy facility,” the message read.

Firefighters were quick to contain the fire, and there have been no reported injuries.

Subsequently, the Defense Council head of Kryvyi Rih, Oleksandr Vilkul, provided further details, saying that the nighttime attack caused temporary power outages in parts of the city, with restoration completed by 3 am.

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The Prosecutor General of Ukraine reported that metal fragments and rocket debris were recovered within a 1.5 km radius from the site of the shelling.

“At present, only select facilities experience brief interruptions. The energy sector and relevant services are diligently engaged in restoration efforts,” Vilkul wrote.

“The main thing is that there are no losses,” he added.

On Thursday morning, April 11, Russian forces launched another widespread aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying missiles, including hypersonic Kinzhals, from over nine strategic bombers. These targeted critical infrastructures in the regions of Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Kharkiv.

Russia has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, with a specific focus on energy infrastructure.

The Trypillya Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in the Kyiv region was completely devastated as a result of the attack. Andriy Gota, head of the Supervisory Board of "Centrenergo," confirmed that all employees on shift during the shelling remained unharmed.