Russia is closing in on Ukraine’s second biggest power plant, British military intelligence has said.
Yesterday the Governor of Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region Vitaly Kim said Russian forces have used air defence missiles to strike energy infrastructure and facilities.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Russia is using air defence missiles indiscriminately and with little training as it runs out of ground attack missiles.
The MoD update reads: “In the Donbas, Ukrainian forces continue to repel Russian attempts to assault the Vuhlehirsk power plant. Russian artillery remains focused on areas around the cities of Kramatorsk and Siversk.
“Russia has increased its use of air defence missiles in a secondary ground attack mode because of critical shortages of dedicated ground-attack missiles.
“Russia has almost certainly deployed S-300 and S-400 strategic air defence systems, designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles at long ranges, near Ukraine from the start of the invasion.
“These weapons have relatively small warheads, designed to destroy aircraft. They could pose a significant threat against troops in the open and light buildings but are unlikely to penetrate hardened structures.”
Mykolaiv lies close to the front lines dividing Ukrainian and Russian troops along the regional border with Kherson.