Russian Strikes Hammer Ukraine, Causing Blackouts and Killing Five

Russia has conducted its largest aerial assault on Ukraine in recent months, targeting energy facilities across the nation, causing extensive damage, and resulting in at least five deaths.

The attacks were widespread, striking cities such as Odesa in the south, Dnipro in the east, and Rivne in the west. In Kyiv, residents sought shelter in metro stations amid continuous strikes that have plagued the capital since September. In Mykolaiv, a drone strike killed two people and injured six, including two children. Odesa saw two fatalities and injuries to several others, including a 17-year-old boy, while a woman was killed in her car in the Lviv region.

This assault mirrors an earlier attack on August 28, when Russia launched a similarly large-scale strike involving missiles and drones. The overnight bombardment has left parts of Ukraine, including Odesa, without electricity, heating, and water. Hospitals in affected regions are operating on backup power.

Ukraine’s energy company DTEK confirmed significant damage to its thermal power plants during the strikes. The attacks have intensified as Ukraine approaches its third winter under invasion, placing additional strain on its energy infrastructure, which has been a repeated target since the war began in February 2022.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sibyha denounced the attacks as a reflection of Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to pursue peace, following a recent phone call between the Russian president and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Sibyha called for strength rather than appeasement in dealing with Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Russia launched around 120 missiles and 90 drones during the attacks, with Ukrainian defense forces intercepting over 140 of the projectiles. Zelensky confirmed damage to energy infrastructure, leaving parts of the country without power, while efforts to restore services are ongoing.

In a subsequent statement, Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to intimidate Ukrainians with cold and power outages, describing the attacks as a continuation of similar tactics from earlier in the war.

The Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged the strikes, describing them as a “massive” operation targeting Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure with precision weapons and drones.

Chancellor Scholz defended his conversation with Putin, stating it was an important but unproductive dialogue, as the Russian president’s stance on the war remains unchanged. Scholz emphasized the necessity of maintaining European communication with Putin, particularly in light of the potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency.

Meanwhile, the situation on the frontlines has grown more challenging for Ukraine. Russia claims to have captured two settlements in the Donetsk region and is advancing near critical hubs like Kurakhove. Moscow is also reportedly preparing a counteroffensive in the Kursk region, signaling further escalation in the conflict.