Heavy Russian Shelling Forces Full Halt of DTEK Thermal Plant Output

Strikes on DTEK Thermal Power Plants

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: One of DTEK’s thermal power stations was hit by a heavy Russian attack on August 18. The facility completely lost its ability to generate electricity, and the plant’s equipment sustained serious damage. Restoration teams are already working to address the consequences. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been under constant pressure throughout the war, with DTEK’s thermal plants attacked more than 230 times since the start of the full-scale invasion.

DTEK’s portfolio includes eight thermal power plants:

• Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region)
• Prydniprovska (Dnipro)
• Ladyzhynska (Vinnytsia region)
• Dobrotvirska (Lviv region)
• Burshtynska (Ivano-Frankivsk region)
• Kurakhivska
• Luhanska
• Zaporizka

Repeated shelling of these facilities puts the reliability of Ukraine’s electricity supply in serious jeopardy.

Drone Assault

On the same day, August 18, Russia also deployed 76 Shahed drones, directing most of them toward the Kyiv region. Ukrainian air defenses shot down or neutralized more than 70 of the drones, but several sites still saw direct impacts and falling debris from downed targets. These events make clear how precarious Ukraine’s energy security and air-defense situation have become.

The ongoing attacks on power infrastructure highlight Moscow’s strategic aim to weaken Ukraine’s energy independence, which could have severe consequences for the economy and ordinary citizens. Constant shelling of thermal stations threatens stable electricity supply, thereby worsening the country’s socio-economic conditions. In wartime, robust air defense remains a critical safeguard for vital facilities against Russian strikes.