Massive missile blitz destroys Ukraine's largest power plant and damages others as the Kremlin hits back after Kyiv strikes on Russian oil refineries

A massive missile blitz has destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants and left others critically damaged, officials have said.

The Trypilska plant, which was the biggest energy supplier for the Kyiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions, was left ablaze after the transformer, turbines and generators were wiped out.

Workers were able to save themselves by running for cover after the first drone hit, said Andrii Gota, of Centrenergo, the state company that runs the plant.

He told the BBC: 'The scale of the destruction is horrifying. It cannot be assessed in monetary terms. This is the biggest challenge for us in the entire history of the enterprise. But I am convinced we will cope with it.'

The Trypilska plant was the biggest energy supplier for the Kyiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions. Emergency workers extinguish a fire after a Russian attack

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 200,000 people in the region. Smoke and fire rise from the site of a missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine

He said the plant could be rebuilt, but that it would be vulnerable to attack without powerful air defences from Ukraine's allies.

He said: 'We can repair. We can do the impossible. But we need protection.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin cast the attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities as a response to Ukrainian strikes that targeted Russian oil refineries.

Russia has recently renewed strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, and attacks last month blacked out large parts of the country

Russian President Vladimir Putin cast the attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities as a response to Ukrainian strikes that targeted Russian oil refineries. 

The Trypilska plant supplied electricity to three million customers - but none lost power because the grid was able to compensate since demands are low at this time of year.

Still, the consequences of the strikes could be felt in the coming months, as air conditioning use ramps up during the summer.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 200,000 people in the region, which has been struck repeatedly, were without power.

Russia has recently renewed strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, and attacks last month blacked out large parts of the country - a level of darkness not seen since the first days of the full-scale invasion in 2022.