Russian Missile and Drone Strikes Trigger Widespread Power Outages Across Ukraine’s Major Cities

A coordinated wave of Russian missile and drone attacks struck Ukraine on Saturday, hitting the capital Kyiv and the industrial hubs of Dnipro and Kharkiv, as well as a number of smaller towns in the surrounding regions. The barrage caused extensive damage to electrical substations and transmission lines, plunging large sections of these cities into darkness and disrupting essential services.According to officials from Ukraine’s energy ministry, the strikes were aimed at critical infrastructure, including power grids, communication facilities, and transport corridors. In Kyiv, several neighborhoods experienced rolling blackouts that lasted for hours, forcing schools and hospitals to switch to emergency generators. Dnipro, a key centre for the country’s aerospace and metallurgical sectors, saw its main substation knocked out, leaving thousands of residents without electricity and halting production at several factories. In Kharkiv, the second‑largest city in the country, the damage to a high‑voltage transformer station resulted in a city‑wide outage that affected both residential areas and the extensive network of public transport.Smaller municipalities on the outskirts of these metropolises were not spared. Rural communities reported loss of power and water supply, prompting local authorities to set up temporary shelters and distribute food and medical supplies to those most affected.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as a “deliberate attempt to cripple civilian life” and called on international partners to increase support for the nation’s energy resilience. “Our people are resilient,” he said in a televised address. “We will restore our lights and our lives, no matter how dark the night may become.”Western officials have expressed alarm at the escalation. A spokesperson for the European Union noted that the targeting of civilian infrastructure violates international humanitarian law and urged Russia to cease such indiscriminate attacks. The United States announced an additional aid package that includes emergency generators and technical assistance to help Ukraine repair its damaged grid.Repair crews from Ukraine’s state energy company, as well as volunteers, have been working around the clock to restore power. Early estimates suggest that full restoration in the most heavily hit areas could take several days, depending on the availability of spare parts and the safety of the sites.The latest strikes underscore the ongoing vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy network amid the protracted conflict, highlighting the urgent need for reinforced infrastructure and greater international assistance to keep the lights on for millions of Ukrainians.