Russia launched its largest combined drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since spring, killing seven people—including a child—overnight, Ukrainian officials reported.
The assault primarily targeted power plants and substations in and around Kyiv, disrupting electricity supplies to thousands of homes and forcing emergency power cuts in the capital and three surrounding regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strikes damaged critical energy facilities, while Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi described the attack as the first of its scale since the end of the last heating season.
Air defense intercepts 160 drones and missiles
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 5 ballistic missiles and 155 drones out of nearly 190 launched during the overnight campaign. The strikes triggered 12-hour air-raid alerts across the country, with residential buildings, social infrastructure, and railways also hit in 11 regions, according to Koretskyi.
Energy grid under sustained pressure
Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state power grid operator, imposed emergency cuts after the attack, with DTEK, the country’s largest private energy firm, reporting power restored to 8,000 homes following the strikes. The Trypilska power station—the largest electricity supplier to Kyiv—was among the reported targets, though this was not independently confirmed by Ukrainian officials.
New drone threats strain defenses
Analysts noted Russia’s use of jet-powered drones (Geran-4 and Geran-5 models), which fly faster and are harder to intercept. Ukraine’s interception rate for these drones has dropped to 57%, down from 90–95% for older models. The military nonprofit Come Back Alive estimates Russia has stockpiled 1,200 Geran-4 and 800 Geran-5 drones, with production projected to increase monthly.
Winter offensive fears intensify
Ukrainian officials warned the strikes signal the start of Russia’s anticipated cold-weather offensive, which has historically targeted energy infrastructure to deprive civilians of heating and electricity. Koretskyi stated that since summer, Russia has attacked energy sites “virtually every day”, but the latest barrage marked the first large-scale combined assault since the end of the last heating season.
International response pending
No immediate reactions from Western allies were reported in the latest updates. The strikes follow a daytime drone attack on Monday that damaged civilian buildings in Kyiv, including the National Academy of Sciences and a medical clinic, wounding over 100 people.
Ukraine’s energy ministry advised residents to avoid using high-power appliances between 10:00 and 16:00 local time due to reduced supply, as some households in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions remained without power into Wednesday.