KYIV, UKRAINE– Overnight missile and drone strikes launched by Russian forces have caused extensive power cuts across large sections of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, as Moscow intensifies its systematic campaign targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
City Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that nine people were injured in the strikes on the capital, with five requiring hospitalization. Residents in the eastern districts of Kyiv were plunged into darkness and faced significant disruption to water supplies following the wave of attacks, which also hit apartment buildings. Images released by Ukraine’s state emergency services showed firefighters battling blazes at a 10-story building in the city.
Tragedy in Zaporizhzhia
The overnight attacks also brought tragedy to the country’s south-east. In the Zaporizhzhia area, a separate Russian drone strike resulted in the death of a seven-year-old child, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. Three other people were injured in the intense attacks on the city, which follow several nights of air raids across the region, parts of which Russia currently controls.
Escalation and International Appeal
The recent attacks reflect a dangerous escalation by Moscow targeting facilities crucial for civilian life as temperatures drop. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, describing them as “cynical and calculated” actions against “everything that sustains normal life.”
President Zelensky confirmed that the Russian military was intentionally trying to demolish the country’s energy grid, with attacks already disrupting gas facilities. He stated that in recent weeks, Russia has deployed 450 drones and more than 30 missiles against Ukraineās energy infrastructure.
In response, the President called for “real steps” and decisive action from allied nations. In a post on X, he wrote: “What’s needed is not window dressing but decisive actionāfrom the United States, Europe and the G7āin delivering air defence systems and enforcing sanctions.”
Ukraineās Energy Minister, Svitlana Hrynchuk, acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that Russia was “inflicting a massive strike.” She confirmed that repair crews were immediately deployed and are working under difficult conditions to restore power.
Meanwhile, all of Ukraine remains on high alert for potential strikes by hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, which military experts note are significantly more difficult for current air defense systems to detect and intercept. Energy workers and authorities across the country are bracing for further attacks ahead of the winter season.
