Intense Russian missile and drone strikes overnight have caused widespread power outages in Kyiv and eight additional regions, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.
While officials reported that power has been restored to over half a million households in the capital, many remain in the dark, and public transport and water supply systems have also been affected.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed that twelve people were injured in the city. In Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, a seven-year-old boy was killed and seven others were hurt. Central Cherkasy reported ten injuries from the attacks.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed the operation involved a "massive" assault using high-precision weapons, including hypersonic missiles, aimed at energy infrastructure connected to Ukraine's "military-industrial complex." Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has intensified strikes on energy and transport networks, especially as colder weather approaches.
Responding to the attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged global partners to take strong action to shield civilians.
"What's needed is not empty words but decisive action - from the United States, Europe and the G7 - in delivering air defence systems and enforcing sanctions," he said.
Zelensky added that over 450 drones and more than 30 missiles struck Ukraine’s energy facilities, calling the assaults "cynical and calculated" and targeting "everything that sustains normal life."
Officials said more than 5,800 residential buildings in Kyiv were without power on Friday morning, with the eastern districts most affected. State emergency services released images of firefighters battling flames in a 10-storey building. Water supply was cut in over 7,000 buildings but restored later in the evening.
The city’s public transport, including subway stations, experienced severe disruption, with some stations forced to close. Authorities set up “invincibility” tents, where residents can access hot water and charge their devices.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk described the assault as "a massive strike" and confirmed that repair crews were working to restore power.
She emphasized the historical significance of the date, saying, "Exactly three years ago - to the day - on 10 October, our power system experienced one of the first massive attacks. Today, Russia continues to use cold and darkness as a tool of terror."
Emergency power shutdowns were rolled out in Kyiv, the surrounding region, and in Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, and Zaporizhzhia. Zelensky also warned that Moscow was deliberately trying to cripple Ukraine’s energy network, with authorities and energy workers preparing for further assaults.