Russian forces launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine overnight, resulting in at least three fatalities. Ukrainian officials reported power outages in several cities as a consequence of the attacks.
On Monday, Ukraine’s air force detected numerous missiles and drones targeting almost every region, including Kyiv and the southern port city of Odesa. Fatalities occurred in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Volyn regions. In the central Poltava region, an industrial facility was hit, injuring at least five people, according to the regional military chief.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal described the assault as a “massive Russian attack” that impacted at least 15 regions, primarily targeting energy infrastructure. To stabilize the power system, the national energy company Ukrenergo has implemented emergency power cuts. Power outages have been reported in Kyiv, Dnipro, and other cities, as noted by Serhii Kovalenko, CEO of Yasno energy company.
Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated that the energy sector is a primary target of the attacks and that the extent of the damage is still being assessed. In Kyiv, the head of the city’s military administration reported that air defenses were active in the city and its outskirts, urging residents to seek shelter.
In Kharkiv, emergency services are addressing damage at various sites affected by the attacks, as reported by the regional military head.
This barrage of attacks follows a recent Russian strike on a hotel in the Donetsk region that killed a British safety adviser and wounded two journalists. Ryan Evans, a former soldier who had been advising Reuters journalists on safety issues, was among the casualties.
In Kyiv, power outages were reported throughout the morning, with residents describing loud explosions and significant damage. Katerina, 35, who recently moved to the outskirts with her child, described the explosions as powerful enough to shake her house and compel her to seek shelter outside.
Anna, a resident on Kyiv’s right bank, experienced an air-raid alarm and subsequent explosions. While most missiles were reportedly intercepted by air defenses, power and water cuts affected other parts of the city.
In response, Russia claimed its air defenses had shot down 20 Ukrainian drones overnight, including nine over the Saratov region and others over Kursk, Belgorod, Bryansk, and Tula regions. Belgorod’s governor reported five civilian deaths and twelve injuries from shelling on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces had advanced up to 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) in the Kursk region and captured two additional settlements. Meanwhile, Russian ground forces are advancing toward the critical eastern city of Pokrovsk, which may become the next major conflict zone.
(CNN)