Russia has launched its largest assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in months, striking Kyiv and several other regions in a major overnight attack that killed at least seven people, including a child.
The strikes damaged power facilities and triggered emergency electricity cuts in Kyiv and surrounding areas, with Ukraine preparing for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy network.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said the scale of the combined assault was the largest since the end of the previous heating season.
“Since summer, there’s barely been a day without an attack on our energy infrastructure,” he said.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said power had been restored to thousands of homes following what it described as a difficult night for the capital.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted energy facilities in the Kyiv region, including the Trypilska thermal power plant, located about 40km from Kyiv. The plant’s operator, Centrenergo, confirmed it had been damaged and was assessing the extent of the destruction.
The overnight strikes affected 10 regions, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, with critical infrastructure among the targets. Residential buildings, transport facilities and other civilian infrastructure were also damaged.
Kyiv residents woke to thick smoke hanging over parts of the capital as explosions and air-defence fire were heard during the night. An air-raid alert lasted for more than 12 hours, while some public transport services and water supplies were disrupted.
A child was among those killed after a house was struck in the Kyiv region. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people were killed in the capital, including a utility worker at a warehouse.
Other deaths were reported in the Mykolaiv and Sumy regions, while a school was also damaged in Sumy.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 254 of 285 Russian drones launched during the attack, along with a ballistic missile. Russia, meanwhile, claimed its forces had carried out a “massive” overnight strike against Ukrainian facilities.
The renewed assault comes as Ukraine braces for another winter of attacks on its power and heating systems. Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have become a recurring feature of the war since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Ukraine’s state grid operator Ukrenergo urged residents to reduce electricity consumption, particularly by avoiding the use of powerful appliances during periods of lower supply.
On the battlefield, Ukraine has also stepped up its counteroffensive around Lyman in the Donetsk region. Zelensky visited troops in the area and said Ukrainian forces had recaptured territory during the operation.
Russia controls roughly a fifth of Ukrainian territory, while fighting along much of the front line remains intense despite limited changes in control of territory.
Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians, while Ukraine has repeatedly accused Moscow of using attacks on critical infrastructure to put pressure on the civilian population.
