Capital Plunged into Darkness as Winter Looms
A devastating overnight barrage of Russian drones and missiles struck Kyiv on Saturday, severing power for more than 600,000 people and plunging the embattled capital into darkness as it prepares for a freezing winter. The sustained assault, which lasted over ten hours, represents one of the most intense attacks on the city since the conflict began three years ago.
Details of the Sustained Assault
The air assault involved more than 600 drones and 36 ballistic missiles, primarily targeting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. This strategy mirrors attacks over the past month, which Moscow has employed in an attempt to cripple the national power grid before the onset of harsh winter conditions.
Tragically, the attack resulted in three confirmed fatalities and left more than 30 people injured. Among those wounded was a 13-year-old boy, highlighting the civilian toll of the strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the main targets were 'energy and civilian facilities', noting that residential apartments and houses had also been hit.
Widespread Consequences and International Context
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, reported that over 500,000 residents in Kyiv itself were left without electricity, with a further 100,000 in the surrounding capital region also affected. The damage to infrastructure caused significant problems with water supply for many in the city.
This attack follows a similar Kremlin-ordered assault just last week that killed seven people. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry justified the 'massive' strikes as a response to what it labelled 'terrorist attacks' on Russian oil installations. In a related development, Ukraine's security service released footage of a naval drone striking two oil tankers in the Black Sea, vessels believed to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' used to evade international sanctions.
With temperatures in Kyiv forecast to drop to 1°C on Sunday, the situation is critical. The crisis is further compounded by public fury in Ukraine over apparent corruption in the energy sector, following recent accusations that eight individuals siphoned off £75 million from a state-owned nuclear power company.
On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump is pushing for a draft peace plan, which has been revised after initial talks with Ukrainian officials and their European allies. President Zelensky is scheduled to fly to Paris on Monday to discuss 'the conditions of a just and durable peace' with President Emmanuel Macron.
