Russia launches aerial attack on Ukraine’s energy sector.

Russia launches aerial attack on Ukraine’s energy sector.

Russia's latest attack on Ukraine's energy sector has led to emergency power outages across the country, with temperatures dropping to around 0°C (32°F). This isn't the first time Ukraine's energy grid has been targeted; since Russia's invasion in February 2022, Kyiv has accused Moscow of using "terror" tactics to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and cut off heating during winter ¹.

The recent strikes come after a two-week escalation, with both sides launching new weapons ahead of the US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025. Ukraine's Energy Minister, German Galushchenko, reported that power infrastructure was under "massive enemy attack," with the Air Force reporting Russian cruise missiles and attack drones heading for cities across Ukraine.

As a result, national power grid operator Ukrenergo introduced emergency power cuts, affecting regions like Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Donetsk. The attack has sparked concerns that this winter might be the "harshest since the start of the war," according to a senior United Nations official, Rosemary DiCarlo ¹.

Ukraine's energy sector has been heavily targeted, with significant damage to power infrastructure, including:

- Electricity generation capacity: Reduced by over 70% since the invasion, with many large-scale power plants damaged or destroyed ¹.
- District heating: Repeatedly targeted, with over 18 large-scale combined heat and power plants damaged or destroyed ¹.
- Natural gas infrastructure: Targeted, including production sites, transmission and distribution networks, and gas storage facilities ¹.

The situation is dire, and Ukraine is working to respond to the attacks and maintain its energy supply.