Russia unleashed one of its largest attacks on Ukraine’s power grid Friday, launching 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones in a devastating assault that forced authorities to impose longer electricity cuts for millions facing sub-zero temperatures.
“This is Putin’s plan for ‘peace’ – to destroy everything. This is how he wants ‘negotiations’ – terrorizing millions of people,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted on X, calling for “a massive strike – a massive reaction” from the international community.
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 81 missiles, including 11 shot down by F-16 fighter jets, though six energy facilities were damaged in the western Lviv region alone. An industry source told Reuters the attacks targeted power substations and hit more gas infrastructure than previous assaults. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private power provider, reported serious damage to thermal power plant equipment.
The strikes forced extended power cuts, with the Kyiv region facing 11-hour outages, up from eight hours previously. Around half of power company Yasno’s 3.5 million consumers lost electricity, while the International Atomic Energy Agency reported five of Ukraine’s nine operating nuclear reactors reduced output.
Moscow claimed the assault was retaliation for Ukraine using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles against a Russian airfield. The attack comes as Russian forces make their fastest battlefield gains since 2022 and as President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to end the war quickly, prepares to take office.
“I reiterate my call for the urgent delivery of 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T air defense systems,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote, as temperatures dropped to -6 degrees Celsius.
