At least six people have died after Russia launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure and residential targets in Ukraine overnight.
A strike on an apartment building in the city of Dnipro killed two people and wounded 12, while three died in Zaporizhzhia.
In all, 25 locations across Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv, were hit, leaving many areas without electricity and heating. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram that major energy facilities were damaged in the Poltava, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions, and work was under way to restore power.
In Russia, the defense ministry said its forces had shot down 79 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched more than 450 exploding bomber drones and 45 missiles. Nine missiles and 406 drones were reportedly shot down.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said there were power cuts in the Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, and Kirovohrad regions, but restoration work was ongoing.
Svyrydenko noted that critical infrastructure facilities have already been reconnected, and water supply is being maintained using generators.
Russia argues its attacks on energy targets are aimed at the Ukrainian military. Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter have become a familiar tactic, leading to concerns among Kyiv officials that Moscow is attempting to collapse Ukraine's energy network and defeat its economy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the attacks underscore the need for intensified sanctions on Russian energy exports. He highlighted this necessity after the U.S. provided a one-year exemption for Hungary from restrictions on purchasing oil and gas from Russia.
As debates surrounding sanctions continue, the tangible impact of these discussions is increasingly felt by Ukrainians, particularly as revenue from oil sales may aid Russia in funding further military actions.
