Shmyhal: Russia has carried out more than 350 attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector since September

Since September, Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy sector with repeated strikes. The attacks damaged equipment at substations and power-generation facilities. These sites are essential because they produce electricity or help move it through the national grid. Damage can reduce available power and make repairs harder during continued shelling.

Denys Shmyhal reported more than 350 strikes and damage to more than 800 units of various types. The affected equipment includes assets at substations and generation facilities. The article does not identify every damaged component, but it records the scale of harm across both electricity production and transmission infrastructure.

Ukraine has responded by adding a second level of protection around 235 transformers. Shmyhal said only one protected unit was hit by a ballistic missile during the past six months. Energy companies are also asking international partners for faster air-defense assistance and stronger sanctions against Russia.

The reported scale is more than 350 Russian strikes against Ukraine’s energy sector since September. Those attacks damaged more than 800 units of various types at substations and power-generation facilities. The figures combine repeated attacks with damage to many separate pieces of energy equipment.

The numbers matter because electricity systems depend on many connected assets. A strike can damage a transformer, other substation equipment, or equipment at a generation facility. The article does not give a separate breakdown for each category. It does show that the damage is spread across both facilities that handle electricity and facilities that generate it.

Protection has reduced the impact in at least one important area. A second level of protection now covers 235 transformers, and only one protected piece of equipment was hit by a ballistic missile over six months. Without such protection, repairs could take months under current attack conditions.

Power-generation facilities make electricity. Substations are grid sites where electricity is switched, routed, and managed as it moves between major lines and local networks. Transformers change voltage levels so electricity can travel efficiently and later be delivered for use. The source article names these facilities but does not provide technical definitions.

In practical terms, a power plant sends electricity into the grid. Substations direct it along different routes, while transformers raise or lower voltage at appropriate points. This equipment works as a system. If one key unit fails, operators may need to reroute electricity, reduce supply, or repair the damaged site before normal service returns.

The distinction matters because Russia has attacked both generation facilities and substations. Shmyhal reported more than 350 strikes since September and damage to more than 800 units. Ukraine has installed added protection around 235 transformers to help keep vital grid equipment functioning.

The second level of protection is an added protective layer installed around transformers. The article does not specify whether it consists of walls, barriers, covers, or another design. Its importance is clear: transformers are vital grid equipment, and protecting them can prevent a strike from directly disabling the electricity network.

A layered defense generally places material or another protective measure between a vulnerable transformer and an incoming weapon. That layer can reduce the chance that the equipment is destroyed or severely damaged. Here, the strongest evidence comes from the reported result: only one instance of protected equipment being hit by a ballistic missile was recorded during the past six months.

Protection does not eliminate the threat. Russia has carried out more than 350 strikes since September, damaging over 800 units. Still, Shmyhal said restoration without protection could take months. Expanding protection therefore supports faster recovery and greater grid resilience.

Energy facilities can take months to repair when strikes destroy important equipment across a connected system. Substations, transformers, and generation facilities are not interchangeable household devices. Their damage can interrupt electricity flows and require specialized replacement, installation, and testing before the network can operate normally.

The article gives a direct warning from Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal: without the added protection, the current intensity of Russian shelling would make restoration of energy facilities take months. Since September, more than 350 strikes have damaged over 800 units. Continued attacks can also complicate repair work by threatening crews and newly installed equipment.

Protection changes the recovery problem by helping equipment survive impacts. A second protection level has been installed for 235 transformers. Only one protected unit was hit by a ballistic missile over six months. Ukraine is also seeking more air defense and stronger sanctions through international partners.

Air defense, physical protection, and sanctions address different parts of the danger. Air defense acts before missiles reach energy sites. Fortifications or other physical barriers protect equipment if an attack gets through. Sanctions apply pressure to Russia by restricting support or resources connected with its war effort. The article specifically records requests for more air-defense help and stronger sanctions.

The article does not describe the exact form of the transformer protection. It reports that a second level was installed for 235 transformers and that only one protected unit was hit by a ballistic missile in six months. This illustrates how physical protection can reduce damage even when an attack reaches a facility.

These measures work best together. Air defense can reduce the number of impacts, protection can limit damage from those that occur, and sanctions can increase pressure beyond the battlefield. Ukrainian energy companies are urging international partners to speed assistance, especially air defense, and intensify sanctions pressure.

Electricity generally begins at a power-generation facility and enters the grid. It travels through transmission lines to substations, where equipment routes it and transformers change voltage. From there, electricity moves through distribution networks to homes and businesses. The source article names these parts but does not explain the sequence in detail.

The grid is interconnected, so electricity must pass through working links and equipment. If a transformer or substation is damaged, power may not reach downstream users even when a power plant remains available. Operators may reroute flows, but options depend on the damage and the remaining network. A strike at one point can therefore affect places farther away.

Russia has damaged more than 800 units at substations and generation facilities since September. Ukraine installed second-level protection for 235 transformers. Shmyhal said that without protection, restoring energy facilities under the current shelling intensity could take months.