The Russian military has launched a large-scale assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread power outages as temperatures across the country plummeted. Ukraine’s energy grid has been a primary target since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of using “terror” tactics by attempting to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and cut off heating during the winter months.
The overnight strikes follow two weeks of heightened escalation, with both sides deploying new weapons as they prepare for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in January 2025. Ukraine’s Energy Minister, German Galushchenko, confirmed that the energy sector was under a “massive enemy attack” as air alerts were issued nationwide in response to incoming missile threats.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian cruise missiles and attack drones were targeting several cities, including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the northeast, and Odesa on the Black Sea. “Once again, the energy sector is under massive enemy attack. Attacks on energy facilities are taking place across Ukraine,” Galushchenko said.
In response, Ukraine’s national power grid operator, Ukrenergo, implemented emergency power outages. Energy provider DTEK confirmed that these cuts affected regions including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Donetsk. As of 8 am (0600 GMT), the nationwide assault was still ongoing, leaving millions without power as the country faced freezing temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
