Massive Russian Attack on Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure

Kyiv —

On early Friday, top Ukrainian officials reported that Russia executed a “massive attack” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, resulting in at least one death and leaving parts of Kyiv without power.

The Kremlin seems to be repeating a strategy used in previous years, targeting power and heating supplies as winter approaches. Official reports and assessments indicate that these assaults on energy infrastructure began in late September.

These attacks have been occurring almost daily, primarily focused on energy facilities, including gas production and distribution units.

In a statement on Telegram, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it had initiated a “massive” strike against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in response to what they termed “terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime on civilian sites in Russia.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Friday’s strike as a “cynical and calculated assault,” noting that over 450 drones and more than 30 missiles were used to target essential civilian resources.

Kyiv region governor Mykola Kalashnik mentioned that about 28,000 families in Brovary and Boryspil districts are currently without power, underscoring the intention to leave citizens “in darkness, without water and heat.”

In a wider context, more than 16,500 households and 800 businesses in the Poltava region also faced power outages, while one strike in Zaporizhzhia resulted in the death of a 7-year-old boy, with dozens more injured, according to Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.