Russia launches massive attack on Ukrainian energy grid ahead of winter

Russia launched its heaviest attack in months against Ukraine's energy grid, ahead of a winter that is expected to be harsh for the war-torn country. At least seven people, including a child, were killed in bombings that struck energy infrastructure in the Kyiv region and five other regions.

The state operator Ukrenergo imposed the first emergency power cuts since last spring in Kyiv and three surrounding regions. The strikes damaged a key power plant and other facilities in the capital, where some tram and trolleybus services have stopped. The Ukrainian air force shot down 5 missiles and 155 drones out of nearly 190 attack vehicles used by Moscow.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the attack a "deliberate distraction" from the Russian offensive in the east, which has slowed since last year. Ukrainian meteorologists forecast sub-zero temperatures in Kyiv in the coming days.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which erupted with the large-scale invasion in February 2022, has seen Moscow systematically adopt the strategy of targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the winter months. The aim is to weaken the country's resistance by depriving the civilian population of heating and electricity in extreme climatic conditions.

Last winter's attacks, during record-breaking temperatures, devastated the energy and heating systems, forcing Ukrainians to adapt to dramatic circumstances. This new wave, following days of drone bombardments primarily on the capital, marks the beginning of a widely anticipated aerial campaign to prepare for what many fear will be another winter of deprivation.

The situation is particularly critical because Ukraine's energy system, already severely damaged, has not had sufficient time for a complete repair during the summer months. Kyiv authorities must now manage energy emergencies while continuing to repel the Russian offensive on the eastern front, where fighting has intensified despite a general slowdown in the Russian advance.