Russian forces have initiated one of the most extensive aerial assaults on Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials, targeting energy infrastructure nationwide, resulting in at least five fatalities and extensive damage. Attacks were reported in numerous significant cities, including Odesa in the south, Dnipro in the east, and Rivne in the west. Authorities in Kyiv, which has experienced near-daily strikes since early September, indicated that this assault was the most severe in three months.
Many residents sought refuge in the metro system. In the Mykolaiv region, two individuals lost their lives due to a drone strike, and six others, including two children, were injured. Additionally, two people were killed in Odesa, where a 17-year-old boy was also hurt, while a woman was fatally injured in her vehicle in the Lviv region, according to the governor.
The strikes led to power outages in various regions, including Odesa, where heating, water, and electricity services were disrupted, forcing hospitals to rely on generators. Ukrainian energy company DTEK reported that its thermal power plants were targeted, resulting in “severe damage” to equipment.
As the war approaches its third year, the situation for Ukraine has become critical, with Russia making advances along the frontlines and Donald Trump potentially regaining the presidency, which could jeopardize essential US support.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been repeatedly attacked, leading to rolling blackouts. Recent bombardments have escalated, placing the country in a vulnerable position as it heads into a challenging third winter of conflict. “This is war criminal Putin’s genuine response to those who have engaged with him recently. We need peace through strength, not appeasement,” stated Foreign Minister Andrii Sibyha on X.
In a training field at an undisclosed location in Kharkiv region, new recruits of the 57th Motorized Brigade are honing their tactical skills amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by SERGEY BOBOK / AFP)
Sibyha likely referred to a recent hour-long phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, marking a rare high-level dialogue between a Western leader and Putin, who has faced isolation due to his invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that around 120 missiles and 90 drones were launched during the night in the Russian assault, with Ukrainian defense forces successfully intercepting over 140 aerial targets. He noted that all regions of Ukraine were affected, including those in the west. “The enemy aimed to strike our energy infrastructure throughout Ukraine.
Sadly, some facilities were damaged by direct hits and debris,” Zelensky remarked on Sunday morning. He added that some areas are still without power, but efforts are underway to restore services. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the attack in a Telegram statement on Sunday, describing it as a “massive” strike utilizing “high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons and strike drones” aimed at critical energy infrastructure.
This overnight attack coincides with Russia making territorial gains in key areas along the eastern and southeastern frontlines, getting closer to vital locations such as the city of Kurakhove. Russia claimed on Saturday to have seized two additional eastern settlements in the Donetsk region, although Ukraine has not verified this. Concurrently, Moscow is preparing to initiate a counteroffensive in the southern Russian region of Kursk, the site of Kyiv’s only significant military success this year.
