Russia launches large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine's power grid
Ukraine reports a massive coordinated attack on its energy infrastructure, involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, affecting multiple regions and causing widespread outages.
Russia carried out its largest coordinated strike on Ukraine's energy facilities this year, hitting substations, transmission lines and power plants across ten oblasts on Nov. 3. The assault involved ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, jet-powered drones and propeller-driven drones, according to Vitalii Zaichenko, CEO of state grid operator Ukrenergo.
The Energy Ministry said extensive damage was recorded in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr and Kharkiv oblasts, and power outages were reported in the capital Kyiv and surrounding regions including Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy and Kharkiv.
DTEK, the largest private energy company, described the attack as one of the "most serious attacks ever" on its facilities, noting that generation at three thermal power plants was halted and grid infrastructure in Odesa oblast was damaged.
"It is clear Russia is dangerously escalating its efforts to deny Ukrainians critical services like energy this winter. We will not let them succeed," said Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK.
Ukraine's government warned of a potential energy crisis as the country approaches winter, after a severe winter season in 2025-2026 left many without heating. The Energy Ministry reported that Russia had struck energy infrastructure more than 20 times in the last day alone.