Residents across Ukraine were told to limit gas use after a nightmare seven-hour onslaught of Russian strikes with ballistic and cruise missiles, killer drones and aerial bombs
Vladimir Putin launched blistering missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy system overnight as most of Kyiv was plunged into darkness.
Russian strikes reportedly targeted at least three hydroelectric power plants and multiple thermal generating stations ahead of temperatures dropping across the country. Critical infrastructure was hit in key areas, with power cuts reported Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Sumy.
Residents were urged to limit gas use after a nightmare seven-hour onslaught of Russian strikes with ballistic and cruise missiles, killer drones and aerial bombs. Kyiv’s left bank was in a blackout without electricity after a strike on the CHP-6 power and heating plant, with up to 70% of the city without electricity at one point.
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Some have described the onslaught as the war’s biggest attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – three years to the day after the first strikes on power plants. “’Missiles, one after another,” said one report.
A dozen people were wounded in Ukraine’s capital as their homes in the 17-floor tower block in the Pechersk district were blitzed. The underground metro railway suffered delays and disruption due to power outages, while Putin has already disabled more than half of Ukraine’s gas supplies ahead of the cold season.
“All emergency teams are monitoring the situation and ready to respond,” said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. “The left bank of the capital is without electricity. There are also problems with water supply.”
In Zaporizhzhia, a boy aged seven was killed by Russian strikes, in the latest civilian death from Putin’s warfare. “Doctors fought for the child’s life until the very end, but the injuries were too severe,” said head of the regional military administration Ivan Fedorov.
The Kremenchuk Hydroelectric Power Station was also hit as was the Kryvyi Rih Thermal Power Plant in Volodymyr Zelensky’s home city. Gloating Russian state media war reporter Andrey Rudenko crudely called the energy strikes “probably a final shot to the head for Zelensky”.
Russian military channel Fighterbomber declared: “This is what is called thoughtful and consistent work to take out the enemy’s energy system. The fact that heating is taken out along with electricity is a nice bonus. The main thing is that such work continues as long as necessary without interruption.”
Ukrainians have been warned to “be ready for any scenarios” by head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council Nikolay Lukashuk. He said: “Russia expects that a harsh winter and depriving Ukrainians of heat, light, and water will break the country’s will and improve Moscow’s negotiating positions.”
Ukraine vowed revenge for the overnight energy strikes – threatening to put out the lights in Russia. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s office, said Russian infrastructure “will be destroyed”.
“Russia must understand that strikes on our infrastructure will be met with a response and their infrastructure will be destroyed,” he said. The latest fierce attacks came three days after Putin’s top war commander General Valery Gerasimov had vowed new “targeted, massive strikes” against Ukraine.
Putin, who turned 73 this week, claimed the war will go on indefinitely, saying: “We must ensure the unconditional fulfilment of all objectives, the achievement of all the goals facing the troops during the special military operation.”
VestiFM military analyst Mikhail Khodaryonok said the “focus” was on “destroying [Ukraine’s] energy facilities”. He said: “It must be carried out purposefully, consistently, methodically, over a long period of time, without interruption, preventing the enemy from restoring what was destroyed.
“Hammering, hammering, hammering, and achieving a result when the last light goes out [in Ukraine]…. [This] is the most humane and expeditious path to ending the armed conflict on Russian terms. The level of firepower used against the enemy must be sharply increased.”