Astarta suspends soybean plant operations after Russian air strike

Centrenergo, Ukraine's state-owned energy company, announced on November 9 that Russian forces had struck the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in the Kyiv region. The attack on the plant could result in extremely serious consequences, as Ukraine's energy infrastructure continues to face strain from Russian attacks, according to Centrenergo.

CEO Serhiy Isachenko warned that the nature of Russian attacks has changed significantly, with the enemy potentially employing a variety of weapons, such as ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, against a single target. This development exacerbates the challenges in protecting energy infrastructure. The impact of the recent strikes is significant, though the full extent of the damage remains unknown and requires further inspection.

Located just 19 miles south of Kyiv, the Trypillia plant was previously the main power supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts. In April 2024, Russian strikes completely destroyed the plant, eliminating Centrenergo's generating capacity entirely. Since then, restoration efforts have been fraught with controversy and ongoing Russian attacks.

In February 2026, the Ukrainian Security Service revealed that individuals from several companies had embezzled over $1 million during the plant's restoration, inflating costs and dividing the excess funds among themselves. The latest attack on the plant arrives amid heightened Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to widespread blackouts and water shortages.

With Kyiv already experiencing the most extensive mass attack on energy infrastructure this year on November 3, residents are forced to adapt their schedules around daily strikes and power outages. Many fear the situation may worsen as winter approaches and Ukraine continues to struggle with air-defense shortages.