A wave of overnight Russian missile and drone attacks struck energy infrastructure across Ukraine, causing widespread power outages and disrupting water supplies, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. The heavy bombardment affected 12 regions, with the capital city of Kyiv sustaining the most severe damage.
At least nine people were injured nationwide, including one child, as Russian forces launched more than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones. The strikes coincided with dropping temperatures and early winter snowfall across parts of the country, heightening the impact of the utility disruptions.
Widespread Infrastructure Damage
Writing on Telegram, Zelensky stated that Moscow launched the assault on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure as preparation for upcoming diplomatic meetings. Delegations from both Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to participate in trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi next week.
The Ukrainian president described the situation in Kyiv as difficult due to severe disruptions to electricity, heating, and water networks. The strikes damaged residential buildings, a kindergarten, and the city’s North Bridge. Additionally, targeted attacks hit electrical substations in the Kyiv region that link the Rivne and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants to central Ukraine.
Local authorities have been working to restore basic utilities. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed in an update that the city’s municipal water system had resumed standard operations, while approximately 60% of apartment buildings had been reconnected to the central heating grid. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reported power outages across five regions, though official numbers on affected households were not disclosed. Beyond the capital, damaged substations were also recorded in the Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Dnipro regions.
Diplomatic Efforts and Recent Truce
The aerial assault followed a diplomatic gathering hosted by US First Lady Melania Trump at the White House, where she met with Ukrainian and Russian representatives. She advocated for a longer-lasting ceasefire after a temporary six-day truce in the southern Kherson region permitted hundreds of civilians to evacuate the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky amid severe food shortages and shelling.
Security concerns remain acute across the country. Earlier in the week, glide bomb attacks hit an aid distribution centre near Zaporizhzhia, where rescue teams continuing to search the wreckage reported the death toll had reached 55.
In his statement, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine remains reliant on strong, bipartisan support from the United States to maintain sanctions against Russia and work toward peace. Separately, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian president declined to comment on media reports regarding a potential state visit by Zelensky to the United Kingdom next year.
