Russia launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, killing three people, including a seven-year-old girl, and triggering nationwide power restrictions as winter looms, Ukrainian officials said Thursday.
The strikes forced the government to impose electricity supply limits for both residential and industrial consumers, showing Kyiv’s vulnerability after nearly four years of war.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces struck Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities overnight. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko accused Moscow of deliberately aiming “to plunge Ukraine into darkness.” She wrote on Telegram: “Its goal is to plunge Ukraine into darkness. Ours is to preserve the light. To stop the terror, we need more air defence systems, tougher sanctions, and maximum pressure on the aggressor.”
Regional officials confirmed two men were killed in the southeastern industrial city of Zaporizhzhia and the girl died in hospital after being wounded in the central Vinnytsia region. The Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 592 drones and 31 missiles, while President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted that “Russia launched more than 650 drones and 50 missiles overnight. Many were shot down, but unfortunately, there have been hits.”
Energy facilities across central, western, and southeastern Ukraine were hit. The country’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported its thermal power stations in multiple regions were attacked. CEO Maxim Timchenko called the strike “a bad blow in our efforts to keep power flowing this winter.” In Zaporizhzhia alone, six children were among 17 wounded during the assault. In Vinnytsia, officials reported four people injured.
Residents took cover in Kyiv’s metro stations during extended air alerts that lasted nearly the entire night. “There’s nothing good in it. We are doing our best to hide,” said Viktoria, 39, who sheltered with her six-year-old son.
Analysts say the attack continues a pattern of Russian forces targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of colder months. Moscow denies targeting civilians, asserting its strikes focus on facilities that support Ukraine’s military. Kyiv, however, sees the campaign as aimed at civilians and energy supply disruptions. Ukraine’s government will likely intensify calls for air-defence systems and western sanctions against Moscow.
Africa Digital News, New York
