Russian Attack Cuts Power and Heat for Thousands in Ukraine
Russian drone and missile attack leaves tens of thousands in Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro without power and heat.
Russia intensified its winter campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight Thursday, launching drones and ballistic missiles that left tens of thousands of residents in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Odesa without heat, electricity, and water. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that nearly 3,500 apartment buildings were affected, including 2,600 high-rises hit in the latest strike, adding to 1,100 buildings still recovering from previous attacks.
Private energy firm DTEK confirmed that one of its thermal power plants was targeted, leaving over 100,000 families without electricity, though it did not disclose the plant’s location. Two people were injured in Kyiv when a residential building was hit, highlighting the growing toll on civilians. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia fired 24 ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and 219 drones, successfully neutralizing most but not all of the attacks.
Odesa’s water supply was heavily disrupted, leaving nearly 300,000 people without access, while almost 200 buildings lost heating. The strike also caused a fire in a city market, injuring one person, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba. Dnipro suffered combined missile and drone strikes that wounded four people, including a baby and a four-year-old girl, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha said.
Also Read: #JUSTIN: Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Enter Second Day in UAE
In northeastern Kharkiv’s railway hub of Lozova, two civilians were killed and six more injured in a missile attack, underlining the continued human cost of the conflict. Moscow denies targeting civilians deliberately, though thousands have been killed since its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine has also launched limited attacks on Russian and occupied territories.
Ukrainian officials condemned the attacks as undermining international peace efforts. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the strikes “a blow to peace initiatives led by U.S. President Donald Trump,” urging stronger diplomatic pressure on Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized that additional U.S. pressure would be necessary to end the war by summer.
The continued targeting of civilian infrastructure during harsh winter conditions has raised alarm among humanitarian organizations, with experts warning that prolonged outages could exacerbate displacement, health risks, and social instability in major Ukrainian cities.
Also Read: Russia Hits Ukraine With 450 Drones and 70 Missiles Before Peace Talks
