A wave of Russian missile and drone strikes hit cities across Ukraine on Thursday, focusing on energy infrastructure in what officials described as a deliberate attempt to cripple the country's power grid before winter.
"Attacks on energy facilities are happening all over Ukraine," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated in a Facebook post. Emergency power outages are being implemented nationwide as a result of the strikes.
Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, and several other cities in central and western Ukraine.
Over 280,000 households in the Rivne region have been left without electricity, according to regional head Oleksandr Koval. Interruptions to water supplies are also affecting the area, prompting schools in Rivne city to switch to remote learning.
The Volyn region, bordering Rivne, was similarly struck, with 215,000 households now without power. "All critical infrastructure that lost power has been switched to generators," said Ivan Rudnytskyi, head of the Volyn administration.
Lviv Among Hardest Hit
"As of now, due to the morning shelling and the use of hourly power cut schedules, 523,000 subscribers in the Lviv region are left without electricity," said Maksym Kozytskyi, the Lviv Regional State Administrator, in a Telegram post.
Officials ordered the opening of "points of invincibility"— shelters where people can charge their phones and other devices and get refreshments during blackouts.
Russia's Winter Strategy
Ukraine's presidential office head, Andrii Yermak, said in a Telegram post that Russia had stockpiled missiles to strike Ukrainian infrastructure and wage war against civilians during the cold season. "They were helped by their crazy allies, including from North Korea," he wrote.
Officials warned that the strikes could severely affect Ukraine's ability to provide heating and electricity as colder months approach.
Kyiv Under Fire
In Kyiv, where the air raid alert lasted over nine hours, missile debris fell in one of the city's neighborhoods, officials said. No casualties were reported.
The attacks have disrupted essential services across Ukraine, leaving hundreds of thousands without power or water. Emergency responders are working to restore services where possible, but challenges persist in maintaining basic utilities.
As the war grinds on, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend critical infrastructure against relentless Russian offensives. This latest assault underscores the Kremlin's intent to inflict widespread disruption, deepening the country's humanitarian crisis ahead of winter.
The situation remains fluid while officials assess the damage and brace for further strikes.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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