In a devastating attack on key energy facilities, Russia has targeted Ukraine's largest hydroelectric dam, the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), leaving it in a critical condition. Ivan Fedorov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region military administration, revealed that the power plant is no longer capable of producing electricity. The aftermath of the strike has resulted in the complete blockage of traffic around the plant, with residents having to rely on alternative routes.

This week, Russia continued its strategy of attacking vital energy facilities, leading to the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy issuing a warning of a significant power shortage as a consequence of these strikes. The ministry reported emergency blackouts in multiple regions following six massive attacks. The affected areas include Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, and Ivano-Frankivsk, marking the sixth missile and drone strike on energy facilities since March 22.

Russia's defense ministry defended their actions, claiming that the strikes were in response to attempts by the Kyiv regime to damage Russian energy and transport facilities. Meanwhile, Ukraine finds itself on the defensive against continued aerial assaults with the frontlines increasingly unstable. In May, Russia stunned Ukraine with a surprise attack on northeastern Kharkiv, exploiting the country's limited weaponry and manpower.

While attending a summit of defense chiefs in Singapore, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on countries across the Asia-Pacific region to join an upcoming peace summit, accusing Russia of attempting to undermine the initiative. Zelensky's call for solidarity comes as Ukraine grapples with the aftermath of the attack on its hydroelectric dam, intensifying the need for international support.

Interestingly, last year, the Nova Kakhovka dam, a major dam and hydroelectric power plant located in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, collapsed. The specific cause of the dam's collapse remains unconfirmed, but civil engineering experts have suggested that an explosion within the structure was the most probable reason. At the time, some Western officials placed blame on Russia for the disaster, either accusing Moscow directly of targeting the dam or holding them responsible due to their aggressive stance in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Russia vehemently denied any involvement and instead accused Ukraine of deliberately destroying the dam, though no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.