UPDATE 1-Russian strikes knock out power in parts of Ukraine

Ukrainian energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said earlier this month that Ukraine wanted to increase its gas imports by 30% following Russian airstrikes on its gas infrastructure.

Russia struck Ukrainian power infrastructure with drones overnight, knocking out electricity supplies in several areas including in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Power grid operator Ukrenergo said power supplies were limited in seven regions, most in the east. State-run gas firm Naftogaz said a thermal power plant had been hit, without identifying the plant. Russia has sharply increased the number and intensity of attacks on the Ukrainian energy system in recent weeks, targeting both power plants and gas facilities.

In a report, Naftogaz said the Russians had attacked gas facilities three times over the past seven days, including "critically important facilities" in the Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Ukrainian energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said earlier this month that Ukraine

wanted to increase its gas imports by 30% following Russian airstrikes on its gas infrastructure.