KYIV — Russia launched a broad, multi-wave assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Tuesday, sending dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones across the country and leaving large areas without electricity just one week before US-brokered peace talks are set to resume.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia deployed 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles. The strikes hit power plants and substations stretching from the southern Black Sea port of Odesa to Rivne in western Ukraine.
Russian officials, meanwhile, said Ukraine had set fire to a major oil refinery in Yaroslavl during an overnight drone attack.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest privately owned energy producer, said three of its five thermal power plants had been forced offline. Ukrainian officials reported power cuts in Kyiv and at least six other regions after the attacks caused extensive damage.
Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said railway infrastructure was also damaged, including passenger carriages, locomotives and a train station.
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“It is very telling that all of this is happening on the day of the US congressional elections,” Zelenskiy said, urging allies to provide Ukraine with additional air-defense systems. “The Russians believe that America will not notice this signal from them. But such terror must be noticed and stopped.”
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted Ukrainian electricity facilities in several regions because they supplied power to military factories and the Ukrainian army.
Throughout more than four years of war, Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s energy network, destroying power-generation, distribution and heating facilities. The strikes have intensified as the colder winter months approach. Ukraine, meanwhile, has increased attacks on Russian oil refineries this year.
US President Donald Trump said in September and October that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking energy targets, although neither side confirmed such an arrangement. Trump has largely accused Ukraine of continuing strikes inside Russia while describing Russia’s conduct as “fine.”
Kyiv and Moscow are expected to join the United States for trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi next week, marking the first such meeting since February. Zelenskiy has said a proposed ceasefire covering energy infrastructure will be among Ukraine’s top priorities.
