Russian forces launched a significant overnight assault on energy infrastructure surrounding Kyiv, causing extensive damage and straining the capital's power, heating, and water supplies as temperatures approach freezing.
Explosions were heard throughout the city as Russia deployed multiple waves of ballistic missiles. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, several of these missiles struck and damaged the Northern Bridge spanning the Dnipro River. The energy ministry reported serious damage to energy facilities outside Kyiv, including systems responsible for supplying electricity to the capital and central regions from two nuclear power plants.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on X that "the capital is facing serious difficulties with its electricity, water, and heat supplies." He added that substations in five other regions were also impacted. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 36 ballistic missiles, with only four being intercepted, while air defense systems downed 149 out of 172 drones.
Authorities confirmed that at least two people were killed and approximately a dozen others injured across Ukraine due to the overnight attacks, which also resulted in damage to homes, businesses, and non-residential buildings.
Russia's defense ministry claimed responsibility for a large-scale strike targeting Ukraine's military-industrial complex, as well as energy and transport infrastructure in and around Kyiv. This marks an intensification of aerial attacks as Russia's ground offensive has faced significant challenges more than four years into the full-scale invasion. The campaign has increasingly focused on Kyiv's bridges in recent weeks, disrupting traffic in the city of over three million.
The strikes occurred days before a new round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Ukrainian and Russian officials, part of a U.S.-backed peace initiative that has seen limited success. Zelensky remarked on X that "Russia is preparing for trilateral talks by launching ballistic missiles at Ukraine’s critical infrastructure." He also expressed hope that the recent U.S. midterm elections would lead to stronger support from a Democratic-controlled Congress, stating, "We are counting on the U.S. Congress to give more attention to Ukraine, because Russia keeps increasing the number of its attacks."