Russian Strikes Knock Out Power Across Ukraine

Russia launched one of its most intense overnight attacks on Ukraine in months, firing more than 450 drones and 45 missiles that struck critical energy infrastructure and residential areas, leaving parts of the country without power and killing at least two people, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said via Telegram that the strikes targeted multiple regions across the country and urged Kyiv’s Western allies to tighten sanctions on Moscow to curb its ability to finance the war.

The Glourious sound of screaming GERAN-2s ..... taking retribution to the dead heart of NATO'S BANDERITES !!!

Night strikes on Ukraine. Where it hit

Last night, the Russian army carried out a combined strike on critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. Almost the entire… pic.twitter.com/QM6uHWX6pl

— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺 🇷🇺 (@SMO_VZ) November 8, 2025

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that the assault hit or damaged around 30 sites nationwide, including thermal power plants and gas facilities. The attacks triggered emergency blackouts in several cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro, Poltava, and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

As winter approaches, the Kremlin has intensified its campaign against Ukraine’s power network, aiming to cripple heating, electricity, and gas supplies.

Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Korit­s­kyi said this latest wave marked the ninth strike on civilian gas infrastructure since early October, noting that one company employee was injured during the bombardment.

Regional officials in Poltava confirmed that overnight strikes knocked out electricity, water, and heating services in parts of Kremenchuk, while two people were killed and 12 wounded in Dnipro.

In Odesa, Governor Oleh Kiper reported that a drone strike caused significant damage to an energy facility late Friday.

The capital Kyiv experienced widespread emergency power outages, while authorities in Kharkiv reported “major energy shortages” following missile impacts on distribution hubs.

The national grid operator Ukrenergo warned that rolling blackouts would continue through the weekend as engineers worked to restore service.

In retaliation, Ukrainian drones targeted Russian oil and gas facilities, causing temporary power outages in parts of Volgograd region, according to Governor Andrei Bocharov. A drone strike earlier in the week had also hit the Volgograd oil refinery, one of southern Russia’s key energy assets.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 79 Ukrainian drones across ten regions overnight.

Analysts say the escalating strikes underscore the growing energy front of the war, with both countries targeting each other’s critical infrastructure as temperatures fall and battlefield lines remain largely static.