Early on Sunday, explosions echoed through Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as Russia launched its largest missile attack since August, targeting power facilities to exacerbate the winter’s harshness, according to officials.
For weeks, Ukrainians had been anticipating a significant assault on their already compromised power grid. They feared devastating impacts that could lead to extended blackouts and increase psychological strain during a pivotal phase of the conflict that began in February 2022.
“Another massive attack on the power system is underway. The enemy is attacking electricity generation and transmission facilities throughout Ukraine,” wrote Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko on Facebook.
Throughout the night, the sound of air defenses confronting drones filled the sky over the capital. A succession of intense explosions reverberated through the city center as the missile attack unfolded in the morning.
While the extent of the damage remained uncertain, authorities preemptively shut off electricity in various districts, including in Kyiv, its surrounding areas, and the Dnipropetrovsk region, aiming to mitigate potential surges resulting from the damage.
In the Volyn region of northwestern Ukraine, officials reported damage to energy infrastructure without providing further details, as wartime conditions often lead to restricted information about the power system’s status.
The regional governor of Mykolaiv in the south reported that an overnight drone attack resulted in two fatalities.
Additional explosions were heard in southeastern Zaporizhzhia and the Black Sea port of Odesa, as observed by Reuters, with further reports of blasts in the southern city of Kryvyi Rih and the western region of Rivne.
“Russia launched one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles against peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, and critical infrastructure,” stated Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
He characterized the attack as Moscow’s “direct retaliation” against leaders who recently engaged with President Vladimir Putin, notably referencing a recent conversation between Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In response, NATO member Poland, situated west of Ukraine, heightened its security measures, deploying air force units within its territory as the Russian offensive utilized cruise and ballistic missiles, along with drones.
Poland’s armed forces activated their maximum readiness, scrambling fighter jets and enhancing ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance capabilities, as announced on the social media platform X.
As missiles traversed Ukrainian airspace, the country’s air force kept the public informed and urged them to seek shelter.
In Kyiv, debris struck a residential building, igniting a roof fire and injuring at least two people, according to city officials on Telegram.
“Emergency services were dispatched to the scene,” confirmed Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
The last major missile attack on Kyiv occurred on August 26, involving over 200 drones and missiles, resulting in seven deaths, as stated by officials.
