Kyiv: Ukraine reported on Monday that numerous regions experienced power outages due to overnight Russian energy strikes. Ukrenergo, the national power grid operator, announced via Telegram that the attacks impacted the energy infrastructure in the Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions, resulting in a loss of electricity supply.
According to Anadolu Agency, the statement from Ukrenergo indicated that restoration efforts are ongoing "wherever the security situation currently allows." The demand for energy has surged due to a significant temperature drop throughout Ukraine and a reduction in restrictive measures in some areas. The statement also highlighted that harsh weather conditions led to 162 settlements in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kirovohrad being completely or partially de-energized, with repair teams working to restore power lines.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy communicated on the US social media platform X about recent Russian attacks on energy facilities near frontline and border communities. He noted that while there were no targeted strikes on energy infrastructure, Russian forces concentrated on attacking logistics targets, mainly railway infrastructure, with strikes occurring in the Dnipro region and Zaporizhzhia.
Zelenskyy further mentioned that as of Monday, energy workers and repair crews had fully restored the energy system to its state before a "technical failure" declared on Saturday. However, he cautioned that challenges remain serious due to the attacks and the cold weather.
Additionally, Ukraine's air force reported that overnight air defenses successfully shot down 157 out of 171 drones launched by Russia. They also mentioned the launch of a ballistic missile but did not provide further details.
In a related development, US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that he "personally asked" Russian President Vladimir Putin to refrain from firing on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities amid "extreme cold" weather for a week. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Trump's request but did not comment on Putin's response.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian private energy provider DTEK reported a second attack on its coal enterprise in the Dnipropetrovsk region since Sunday, which damaged administrative buildings. The previous day, the company reported an attack on a bus carrying DTEK miners in Dnipropetrovsk, resulting in 12 deaths and 16 injuries.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on the latest developments.