Russia launches massive attack on Ukrainian energy grid

Russia conducted a “massive attack” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Friday, October 10 according to top Ukrainian officials. The widespread strikes left parts of the capital, Kyiv, and several other regions without power.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the action as a “cynical and calculated attack,” stating that Russia launched “more than 450 drones and over 30 missiles” aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure. He stressed that these attacks are Russia’s tactic to deprive Ukrainians of power and heat as the bitter winter season approaches, with the goal being “to leave us in darkness, without water and heat.”

Ukrainian officials report the attacks on energy facilities, including gas production and distribution, have been almost daily since late September. The latest offensive caused significant damage and casualties across the country. A 7-year-old boy was killed in a strike on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, and dozens of people were injured, including at least 12 in Kyiv.

The attack resulted in extensive power cuts in multiple regions. In the Kyiv region, approximately 28,000 families in the Brovary and Boryspil districts lost electricity, according to Governor Mykola Kalashnik, while the left bank of the capital also experienced power and water supply issues.

Further east, the Poltava region saw more than 16,500 households and 800 businesses without power. Other affected areas included Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia.

The country’s largest private energy producer, DTEK Group, reported that its stations were specifically targeted, the third such strike in one week with the attack severely damaging equipment and injuring an energy worker.
Emergency services documented the devastation, sharing video of firefighters battling a massive blaze in Kyiv and helping residents to safety. Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk assured the public that workers are taking all necessary steps to minimize the negative consequences of the attack.