Russia launched one of its heaviest air assaults in months overnight, targeting Ukraine’s critical energy grid just as the country braces for another winter at war. The strikes knocked out power across nine regions including parts of the capital, Kyiv and left thousands without electricity, water, or public transport. Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Moscow has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power network, seeking to cripple civilian infrastructure and weaken morale during the cold months.
Key Details
Casualties: At least one person, a seven-year-old child, was killed in the southeast; over 20 others were injured.
Impact: 28,000 families in Kyiv region and 17,000 in Poltava were left without power.
Damage: Private energy firm DTEK reported “significant damage” to its thermal power plants.
Public Disruption: Subways were shut, buses overflowed, and water supplies were cut for much of the morning.
Why It Matters
The attack underscores Moscow’s continued strategy of weaponizing winter, seeking to exhaust Ukraine’s energy resilience and civilian morale. It also highlights Kyiv’s deepening dependence on Western air defense systems and the urgency of international aid to prevent a humanitarian crisis.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement urging “decisive action, not window dressing” from the U.S., Europe, and G7 reflects growing frustration with delayed Western assistance as Russian forces escalate aerial assaults.
President Zelensky: Condemned the targeting of civilian energy facilities and renewed his plea for more air defense systems.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko: Called it one of the “heaviest concentrated strikes” on infrastructure in recent months.
Kyiv Residents: Reported chaos and fear as explosions rocked the city and transport systems halted.
What’s Next
Ukraine’s grid operators are racing to restore power and water to key urban centers by the end of Friday.Western allies face mounting pressure to accelerate air defense deliveries and tighten sanctions on Russian energy and military sectors. As temperatures drop, Kyiv braces for a potential repeat of last winter’s blackouts, with infrastructure already weakened from prior attacks.
With information from Reuters.
