Russia launched one of its largest air assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Friday, targeting facilities across the country with 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones, Ukrainian authorities confirmed. The attack marks the 12th large-scale strike on Ukraine’s power grid this year, further straining an already fragile energy system as winter sets in.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the assault “one of the largest strikes” on the country’s energy facilities since the war began. Speaking on social media, Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 intercepted by F-16 fighter jets provided by Western allies. Zelensky emphasized the need for further international support, saying, “The world can stop this madness.”
According to Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, the strikes caused significant damage to energy infrastructure in multiple regions. Halushchenko described the attack as another attempt to cripple the country’s power supply and urged residents to remain in shelters.
The western regions of Lviv, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk reported serious damage to energy facilities. Ivano-Frankivsk’s military administration called it the “most massive attack” on the region since the start of the war. Emergency power outages have been implemented nationwide, and energy operator Ukrenergo warned of increased restrictions throughout the day.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the attacks forced five of Ukraine’s nine operating nuclear reactors to reduce power output due to disruptions in the energy grid. The IAEA renewed calls for Russia to stop targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, warning that such strikes pose serious risks to nuclear safety.
In response to the attack, Ukraine began importing electricity from neighboring countries, including Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Moldova.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the strikes were a retaliation for Ukraine’s attack earlier this week on a military airbase in Russia’s Rostov region, reportedly involving six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles. Moscow has intensified its aerial campaign in recent months, using missiles and drones to systematically target Ukraine’s energy grid as the war grinds into its third winter.
Ukrainian forces have launched their own strikes in response. Kyiv reported “tangible hits” on Russian military and energy facilities, including an oil depot in the Bryansk region and an airfield in Rostov.
