Russian Strategy? Most Ukraine Power Already Restored From "Massive" Missile Barrage

Russia used its most advanced hypersonic intercontinental ballistic missiles which were originally designed to carry nuclear warheads in one of the largest such attacks of the war on civilian and infrastructure targets. 

A "massive" bombardment of 84 missiles managed to...kill 11 people and damage infrastructure so ineffectively that by morning most Ukrainian regions that suffered the attacks already had power restored. Ukraine is now employing the same digital identification, repair and workaround systems used in civilized societies to offset the affect of tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural events. This is Russia's strategy for destroying its enemy? JL

Radina Gigova and Olga Voinovich report in CNN:

Engineers have restored electricity supply in most regions where energy facilities were damaged by Thursday's massive Russian bombardment. Facing Russia's regular attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, the country's power engineers have developed a number of mechanisms that help them restore service quickly despite the extreme conditions. "Over this period, we have developed technical solutions that allow us to keep the system intact. And today we proved it: Despite another massive night attack, the Ukrainian energy system remained intact in the morning."

Engineers have restored electricity supply in most regions where energy facilities were damaged by Thursday's massive Russian bombardment, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said in a statement. 

Halushchenko said Russia used a new tactic in its latest large-scale assault, launching different types of missiles and drones at the same time.

"Unfortunately, there are hits to both generation and transmission facilities, i.e. power substations. The situation is not easy, but we can already say that the power supply, which was limited in 14 regions on March 9, has been restored. Repair work is ongoing and will continue around the clock until the power supply is fully restored," the minister said.

Earlier Thursday, the mayor of Kyiv said utility crews had fully restored power in the Ukrainian capital, but about a third of the city's homes were still without heat.

Halushchenko said this was Russia's 15th massive shelling of Ukraine's battered energy system.

This wave of strikes forced the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to switch to backup power from diesel generators.

"The whole world sees that Russians do not care about any risks of a possible nuclear accident. And today, thanks to the fact that Ukraine has always supported the plant's safety systems, all diesel generators that provide backup power to ZNPP have been used. Currently, the power supply to the plant, which has been provided by Ukraine for more than a year of occupation of ZNPP, has been restored," he said. 

Facing Russia's regular attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, the country's power engineers have developed a number of mechanisms that help them restore service quickly despite the extreme conditions, the minister said. 

"Over this period, we have developed technical solutions that allow us to keep the system intact. And today we have proved it: Despite another massive night attack, the Ukrainian energy system remained intact in the morning," Halushchenko said.