Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, reported on Saturday that a massive overnight assault by Russian forces targeted critical national infrastructure, plunging thousands of households into darkness and cutting off essential heating and water supplies.
Scale of the Overnight Assault
According to official statements from the Ukrainian air force, the attack which occurred overnight involved a staggering 653 drones and 51 missiles launched by Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes on social media, stating that energy facilities were once again the primary objective. "Russia's aim is to inflict suffering on millions of Ukrainians," he declared.
Key Infrastructure Damaged
The barrage caused significant damage across multiple regions. A Russian drone strike completely burned down the main railway station building in Fastiv, a key city located about 70 kilometres southwest of Kyiv. Ukraine's state rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsya, confirmed there were no casualties but noted that suburban train services had been disrupted.
Energy facilities in the Chernigiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions were also hit. The consequences were severe in the Odesa region, where Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba reported that 9,500 subscribers lost heat and 34,000 were without water due to the damage inflicted.
Government Response and Wider Context
In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko convened an emergency coordination meeting of ministers. She announced that additional rolling power outages would be implemented nationwide to help stabilize the energy system while repair work continues.
This latest wave of aerial strikes comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment. Ukrainian negotiators are engaged in a third consecutive day of talks with American envoys in Florida, discussing a US-drafted plan to end the nearly four-year-long conflict. Despite this international push for peace, Russia has persistently targeted Ukraine's power and heating grid since its full-scale invasion began in February 2022, destroying a large portion of the country's vital civilian infrastructure.
