Widespread Power Outages in Ukraine Following Intense Missile Strikes.
More than a million people in Ukraine are without electricity after a large-scale attack on the country’s energy infrastructure. The strikes, reportedly carried out overnight by Russian forces, involved a coordinated assault using drones and missiles targeting energy facilities across Ukraine. This marks the second significant attack on the power grid this month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the assault involved approximately 100 drones and over 90 missiles. He accused Russia of employing cluster munitions, which have exacerbated the challenges faced by emergency responders and energy workers attempting to repair the damaged infrastructure.
Explosions were reported in multiple cities, including Odesa, Kharkiv, Lutsk, and Kyiv. However, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that all missiles aimed at Kyiv were intercepted. The attacks lasted for nearly nine and a half hours and affected at least 12 regions, including areas in western Ukraine.
The country’s energy minister announced emergency blackouts to prevent further damage to the power grid. Cities like Lutsk and Kharkiv experienced power outages, with officials reporting significant disruptions. In the Lviv region alone, over half a million homes and businesses were left without electricity.
President Zelensky emphasized the severity of the situation, calling it an escalation in the ongoing conflict. He described the attacks on energy facilities as deliberate efforts to weaken the country ahead of the harsh winter months.
With temperatures dropping and snow already appearing in parts of Ukraine, the attacks on the energy system have raised serious concerns about the country’s ability to endure another challenging winter. Ukrainian officials warned earlier that Russia has been stockpiling missiles to conduct widespread assaults on the energy grid, a tactic used during previous winters.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company confirmed earlier this month that its thermal plants have suffered extensive damage due to repeated attacks. Since the invasion began in February 2022, these facilities have been struck over 190 times.
The attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure coincide with intensified fighting. Recent weeks have seen Ukraine launch strikes into Russian territory using missiles supplied by international allies. In response, Russia has deployed new missile technology, escalating the conflict further.
Ukraine braces for the possibility of more large-scale attacks as the winter season approaches, leaving many uncertain about how the nation’s power grid will withstand continued assaults.
