Russian Strikes Destroy Major Power Plant Outside Kyiv

Rescuers work at the site of Russian air strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Lyptsi, Kharkiv region, Ukraine April 10, 2024.  REUTERS/Volodymyr Pavlov
Rescuers work at the site of Russian air strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Lyptsi, Kharkiv region, Ukraine April 10, 2024. REUTERS/Volodymyr Pavlov
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Russian Strikes Destroy Major Power Plant Outside Kyiv

Rescuers work at the site of Russian air strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Lyptsi, Kharkiv region, Ukraine April 10, 2024.  REUTERS/Volodymyr Pavlov
Rescuers work at the site of Russian air strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Lyptsi, Kharkiv region, Ukraine April 10, 2024. REUTERS/Volodymyr Pavlov

Russian overnight strikes completely destroyed Trypilska thermal power plant outside Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted a senior company official as saying.

Russia staged a major missile and drone strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure early on Thursday, damaging substations and power facilities in five regions and causing emergency power cuts for at least 200,000 people, Kyiv officials said.

Ukraine's air force commander said air defenses took down 18 of the incoming missiles and 39 drones. The attack used 82 missiles and drones in total, the military said.

Meanwhile, a Russian missile attack on Ukraine's southern city of Mykolaiv on Thursday killed at least four people and injured five more, officials said.

"The enemy continues ballistic strikes on the south of Ukraine. Insidiously struck Mykolaiv in the middle of the day," southern military command said on Telegram.

Private houses, cars and industrial facilities were damaged, it added.
 



Zelenskiy Says Ukraine's Membership of NATO is 'Achievable'

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks as he attends a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks as he attends a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
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Zelenskiy Says Ukraine's Membership of NATO is 'Achievable'

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks as he attends a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks as he attends a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron

Ukraine's membership of NATO is "achievable", but Kyiv will have to fight to persuade allies to make it happen, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Ukrainian diplomats in a speech on Sunday.
Ukraine has repeatedly urged NATO to invite Kyiv to become a member. The Western military alliance has said Ukraine will join its ranks one day but has not set a date or issued an invitation.
Moscow has cited the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO as one of the principal justifications for its 2022 invasion. Kyiv says membership in the Western alliance's mutual defense pact, or an equivalent form of security guarantee, would be crucial to any peace plan to ensure that Russia does not attack again.
"We all understand that Ukraine's invitation to NATO and membership in the alliance can only be a political decision," Zelenskiy told diplomats at a gathering in Kyiv. "Alliance for Ukraine is achievable, but it is achievable only if we fight for this decision at all the necessary levels."
Zelenskiy said allies needed to know what Ukraine can bring to NATO and how its membership in the alliance would stabilize global relations, Reuters reported.
Last week, Zelenskiy urged European countries to provide guarantees to protect Ukraine after the war with Russia ends and said Ukraine would ultimately need more protection through membership of the alliance.