In the early hours of April 3, Russian missiles targeted power plants in Lviv, Ukraine. These attacks cut off electricity in large parts of the western city near the Polish border, where tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in the east had sought shelter, Live UA Maps reported.
Numerous news outlets reported that Ukraine’s military command stated that Russia continues efforts to destroy the government’s army transport infrastructure by targeting railways. They say that these efforts seem to target any means of transporting foreign weaponry to aid Ukraine forces.
Kyiv and the United Nations have also criticized strikes on civilians and essential civilian transportation when the number of internally displaced conflict refugees has reached unprecedented levels.
Attacks on Kyiv’s railway system, which is a vital conduit for both humanitarian aid and military supplies to and from Poland, have been the most widespread in the city since the war began. Zero Hedge reports that the attacks came as the Russian military intensified its disruption of Ukraine’s railway system.
According to Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the chief of the Ukrainian Railway, Russian soldiers attacked six electrical substations throughout the railway system in Western and Central Ukraine.
6 of our power substations hit with Russian missiles. No chance it's going to stop us at @Ukrzaliznytsia. We keep moving. 14 passenger trains that paused because of this are already resuming movement and will all reach their destinations. pic.twitter.com/DjK5UMjDDK
— Oleksandr Pertsovskyi (@Pertsovskyi_O) May 3, 2022
Two power stations in the city of Lviv were damaged, according to the city’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, who also stated that severe damage to municipal infrastructure had occurred. Later, Maksym Kozytskyy, the head of the Lviv regional administration, confirmed that three power plants had been damaged. According to reports, two people were injured.
NBC reports as many as seven people were killed when a missile struck a garage along railroad tracks on the outskirts of Lviv last month. Additionally, the attacks on Tuesday disrupted water pumping in several parts of Lviv and turned off the electricity.
On Tuesday evening, explosions could be heard in the city center of Lviv, according to Zero Hedge. Black smoke billowed near the railroad tracks outside of town as emergency vehicles and ambulances raced away from the scene.
Police cruisers were seen throughout the city to prevent motorists from approaching too close to closed roads. In numerous districts, houses and apartment complexes were completely dark, with the only source of illumination coming from lamps that were still operational. According to city officials, emergency equipment at hospitals, which were also affected by the blackout, remained active thanks to backup power systems.