Moscow’s Strikes Leave Major Ukrainian Cities Without Electricity, Heat

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Kyiv: Russia’s latest missile and drone strike campaign on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has knocked out power and heating for tens of thousands of residents, Ukrainian officials say, compounding hardship in freezing winter conditions. The overnight offensive hit key parts of the electricity grid in the capital and other cities including Dnipro and Odesa, damaging substations and cutting utilities.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that roughly 2,600 residential buildings in Kyiv were left without heating following the attack, with outages affecting districts on both sides of the Dnipro River. Restoration crews are working to fix the damaged infrastructure, but critical components remain offline.

Officials say the strikes involved a mix of ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses in some areas. Russia has ramped up air operations on energy facilities in recent weeks, seeking to erode civilian morale and disrupt everyday life during severe cold spells.

The disruption has forced emergency measures, including temporary power outages and rationing to stabilise grid performance while engineers repair systems. Large parts of other regions also reported water supply interruptions and blackout conditions following the latest barrage.

Ukraine’s government has vowed to accelerate repairs and strengthen protection of vital energy networks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders are pushing for additional air defense resources from international partners to better shield civilian infrastructure from continued aerial assaults.

The attacks come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which has persisted for nearly four years. Critics say targeting power and heat during winter months reflects a broader strategy to pressure Ukraine, while humanitarian groups warn of rising risks to vulnerable populations living without reliable utilities.

Photo Credit:AFP