Ukraine and Russia trade airstrikes, leaving tens of thousands without power
Tens of thousands of people were left without power in both Ukraine and Russia over the weekend, as the two countries battered each other’s energy infrastructure with significant airstrikes. On Saturday, Kyiv suffered more than 12 hours of emergency power cuts, while on Sunday, more than 20,000 people were left without power across Russia’s border regions.
Russian energy strikes reach new heights
On Saturday, The Kyiv Independent reported that several areas across Ukraine were subjected to emergency power cuts after Moscow launched 458 drones and 45 missiles into the country. While the majority of the drones and nine of the missiles were intercepted, Poltava Oblast, Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Chernihiv were all affected.
“It’s hard to remember such a number of ballistic missiles that directly attacked energy facilities,” Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said. She described the airstrikes as “one of the largest direct ballistic missile attacks on energy facilities.”
Additional strikes targeting two nuclear substations killed seven people. In a post to X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attacks were “not accidental but well-planned strikes,” adding, “Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe.”
Sybiha also urged the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as China and India, to confront Russia about its attacks on nuclear infrastructure.
Saturday’s barrage comes roughly one month after Russia launched its most significant attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to date. Between Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, the Kremlin successfully devastated 60% of Ukraine’s gas production facilities.
20,000 Russians left without power
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Ukraine’s drone and missile response knocked out power for tens of thousands of residents across more than 10 municipalities in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions, The Moscow Times reported.
According to the Belgorod regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the area’s electricity and heating networks “suffered severe damage.” Gladkov added that more than 20,000 residents were without electricity.
Fires also broke out at energy facilities in nearby Kursk and Voronezh, their regional governors confirmed.
Energy attacks ahead of winter
Targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been a common tactic by Russia in the lead-up to every winter since the Kremlin first launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, has suffered 210 attacks since then.
It wasn’t until Ukraine began developing its own sophisticated missiles that Kyiv was able to respond to Russia’s attacks in kind. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is still urging his Western allies to provide more aerial weaponry and defense systems.
“Only a few systems in the world are capable of intercepting [ballistic and aeroballistic] missiles effectively –– and to protect our entire territory, we need far more of these systems and the missiles for them,” Zelenskyy posted to X on Saturday. “We are working with the United States to purchase additional Patriots, and we are very much counting on the support.”
Ukraine imposes unilateral sanctions
In addition to bolstered air defenses, Zelenskyy has also long called on the U.S. and other NATO countries to impose harsher sanctions on Russia, arguing that Moscow’s oil sales effectively fund its war effort. On Sunday, the Ukrainian president announced unilateral sanctions against several members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, as well as “all sources and schemes financing Russia’s war machine.”
“Russia is trying to prolong the war, expanding its efforts to justify aggression and ‘normalize’ the occupation of Ukrainian territories,” Zelenskyy posted to X. “Today’s Ukrainian sanctions decisions include individuals working in Putin’s government structures and those involved in the looting of temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.”
Zelenskyy added, “We are also launching action against Russian publishing houses engaged in justifying aggression and spreading Russian propaganda worldwide.”
Russia signals willingness to meet with Rubio
As the war between Russia and Ukraine nears its fourth year, attempts by U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration to negotiate a ceasefire have largely stalled. However, on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti that he was ready to meet with his U.S. counterpart.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I share an understanding that maintaining regular communication is essential, both for discussing the Ukrainian issue and for advancing the broader bilateral agenda,” Lavrov said. “We remain in contact by telephone and are prepared to hold in-person meetings whenever necessary.”
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
