Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine energy grid since spring
By Alys Davies and Paul Adams, diplomatic correspondent, reporting from Kyiv.
Russian forces carried out their broadest assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since the spring, hitting key sites in Kyiv and surrounding areas. The government counted at least six deaths and 33 injuries across the country, including a child whose body was found under rubble in the capital.
Power outages affected thousands of households. The largest private electricity producer, DTEK, said it restored supply to 8,000 homes after a difficult night in the capital, while the state‑owned grid operator warned residents to avoid using high‑power appliances between 10:00 and 16:00 local time.
One of the alleged targets was the Trypilska power station, the chief supplier of electricity to Kyiv, though Ukrainian officials have not confirmed damage to the plant. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi said it was the first mass combined attack of this scale since the end of the last heating season, adding that every summer since the full‑scale invasion in 2022 has seen continuous strikes on energy infrastructure.
The night‑time barrage struck eleven regions, hitting residential buildings, social infrastructure, civilian enterprises and railways. President Volodymyr Zelensky noted attacks in Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad and Rivne regions. The Donetsk and Sumy regions also suffered casualties, with a drone strike killing a person in Mykolaiv.
Moscow’s military has maintained control of roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory since the conflict began. The ongoing series of attacks underscores Russia’s strategy to target civilian life by disrupting essential services during the war.
