Significant Russian aerial assaults targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have resulted in extensive power outages, impacting hundreds of thousands of residents in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions. The attacks involved both drones and missiles, which have been intensifying as the country braces for a harsh winter amid ongoing conflict.
In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, the DTEK energy company reported that over 600,000 people lost power due to damage inflicted on critical energy facilities during a recent night attack. The company stated it was working on restoring electricity, but emphasized that efforts were complicated by ongoing assaults.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, a drone strike targeted important infrastructure, leading to power outages for nearly 250,000 customers, according to Mykola Baksheyev, the mayor of Zlatopil. While repair works are underway, he noted that a timeline for the restoration of power remains uncertain.
This spate of strikes follows a previous large-scale attack that had plunged residents in five regions, including Kyiv, into darkness, hampering electricity transmission. President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that the intensified strikes are an effort by Russia to exert pressure on Ukraine during trilateral talks set to take place in Abu Dhabi.
As Ukraine endures another winter of war, temperatures are starting to drop, further exacerbating the struggles of those left without heat or electricity.
