Russian missiles attack Lutsk, Rivne and Khmelnytsky oblasts: power and water supplies disrupted
Smoke after the explosion in Lutsk (Photo:Operational Armed Forces / Telegram)
Russia launched yet another missile attack across the whole of Ukraine on the morning of Oct. 22, with missile impacts reported in Lutsk, Rivne, and Khmelnytskyi oblasts in the west of the country.
Regional authorities reported on Telegram that the missile strikes caused problems with the electricity and water supplies.
The mass air raid alert was declared in every part of Ukraine, except for Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea, at about 7.30 a.m. local time.
At 8.58 a.m. Khmelnytskyi Governor Serhiy Hamaliy reported explosions in his region.
"Explosions are heard in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Take care of yourselves. Stay in shelters," he wrote in his Telegram channel.
Soon after there were reports of explosions in Lutsk, the city of Rivne, and Rivne Oblast, according to public broadcaster Suspilne.
After the explosions, information about power and water outages in Lutsk and some districts of Rivne Oblast appeared in local social media groups.
Information about the strike in Rivne Oblast was confirmed by regional governor Vitaliy Koval. Emergency services are working in the city of Kovel, the mayor of the city, Ihor Chaika, reported. Residents were urged to stock up on water and charge all devices until the power supply is restored.
Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk announced that the Russians had struck an energy facility in the city, and that the emergency services are at the scene. The explosions in Lutsk also damaged a private house, with one person suffering burns. According to preliminary information, no one was killed in the strike on the house.
Later, Khmelnytskyi also reported that it had lost electricity supply. The city council asked residents to stock up on water as it would also disappear in an hour, as water supply pumps had stopped working due to the loss of power.
Ternopil city Mayor Serhiy Nadal confirmed that there were problems with the electricity supply in neighboring disctricts.
The Ivano-Frankivsk-based power company Prykarpattyaoblenergo in western Ukraine said that due to enemy attacks on the morning of Oct. 22, the power system had become unstable, and there is a shortage of power that may lead to temporary blackouts.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian army aircraft shot down a missile over the Dnistrovskyi district of Chernivtsi Oblast, with debris from the weapon falling into a lake. There was no damages to facilities and houses, said regional governor Ruslan Zaparanyuk.
Air defenses were also triggered in Lviv Oblast.
Zakarpattya regional governor Vasyl Mykyta wrote that the enemy was targeting the neighboring regions.
"Missiles are in the air, stay in shelters," Mykyta wrote at 8.53 a.m.
The President’s Office has since reacted to Russian strikes on infrastructure in western Ukraine.
"More missile attacks from terrorists who are fighting with civilian infrastructure and people,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief-of-staff Andriy Yermak said.
“Whatever, we will hold out. The Russians' dream of problems in the rear and stopping the liberation of Ukrainian territories is infantile. We are only getting angrier every day. And this means that we will give an even stronger response. Everything will be Ukraine.”
The authorities of the western regions are urging residents to stay in shelters until the end of the air raid alert.
In other regions of Ukraine, no information about missile impacts has been received so far.
Explosions have been heard in Odesa, Chernihiv, Kyiv and Kirovohrad oblasts. Early reports indicate air defenses have been active. On social media, video has been posted showing Russian cruise missiles in flight over Ukraine, a Ukrainian fighter apparently shooting down a missile, and sounds of Iranian flying bomb drones.
The all clear was declared throughout Ukraine, apart from in Luhansk Oblast, at 10.52 a.m.
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