The Associated Press: Send us Patriots - Ukraine's battered energy plants seek air defenses against russian attacks

The Associated Press recently visited one of DTEK's thermal power plants just days after it was struck by russian cruise missiles, leaving parts of the facility severely damaged with "smashed glass, shattered bricks and twisted metal." As the AP wrote, this plant was one of four DTEK stations hit on the same day last week in russia's intensifying campaign to cripple Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

In their report titled "Send us Patriots: Ukraine's battered energy plants seek air defenses against Russian attacks," the AP highlighted the urgent need for advanced air defence systems like the U.S.

Patriot missiles to protect Ukrainian energy facilities. They spoke to Oleh, the equipment department chief at the damaged DTEK plant, who summed up the top priority for the battered energy sector in one word: "Patriot."

"Rockets hit fast. Fixing takes long," Oleh told the AP in English, underscoring how russian strikes can inflict catastrophic damage in seconds while repairs drag on for months.

The AP reporters spoke to shift supervisor Ruslan, who remained at his post in the operations room when the latest strike hit just meters away, rushing out to "darkness, dust and fire" afterwards to ensure his crew's safety. 

Machine operator Dmytro, who took shelter during the attack, told the AP "my soul was bleeding when I saw the scale of the destruction" of a facility built through years of hard work, now partially demolished "in a few seconds, in an instant." Despite the harrowing scenes, Dmytro vowed to keep showing up to work "as long as I'm able. It's our duty towards the country."

Read the full article on the Associated Press.