Russian attack cuts power in Kyiv region
According to official sources, approximately 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones were launched at various targets throughout Ukraine overnight. These attacks resulted in at least three fatalities and left dozens more injured. Russia has increasingly focused its strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure as Ukraine braces for the winter months, despite international diplomatic efforts led by the U.S. to negotiate a peace settlement.
In a statement, Russia's defense ministry claimed responsibility for a "massive strike" aimed at key military-industrial facilities and the energy infrastructure that supports their operation.
Local energy provider Dtek Energy later announced that power had been restored to over 360,000 homes by Saturday afternoon. However, the destruction wasn’t limited to energy facilities; several residential buildings in Kyiv were also struck during the bombardment.
Ukrainian emergency responders were seen attending to fires in damaged apartment blocks early in the morning, and Kyiv’s mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, confirmed that a 13-year-old child was among the 29 injured in the capital.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported a successful defense effort, claiming to have downed 558 drones and 19 missiles in the course of the attack. Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv and other cities have been subject to frequent air strikes, and power blackouts have become a regular part of life, particularly during the harsh winters, as Russia targets Ukraine's energy grid.
The situation in Kyiv is expected to worsen as the forecast predicts temperatures will drop to 2°C by Sunday, with December typically bringing subzero conditions. In response to Russia’s energy tactics, Ukraine has also targeted Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries and depots, using long-range missiles to disrupt Moscow’s revenue from its major exports.
In other developments, Ukrainian sources reported that maritime drones had struck two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea on Friday. These vessels, believed to be part of Russia’s "shadow fleet"—a group of ships used to bypass Western sanctions—were targeted in an apparent escalation of Ukraine's maritime operations. Video footage verified by international outlets shows one of the drones hitting its target, with subsequent footage showing a fire raging aboard the vessel. Turkish authorities identified the tankers as the Kairos and the Virat, both flagged to Gambia, and footage from Turkey’s Transport Ministry showed its vessels attempting to extinguish the blaze aboard the Kairos.
This latest wave of bombardment came as Ukrainian negotiators prepared for talks with U.S. officials. U.S. President Donald Trump has been advocating for a peace agreement, which initially favored Russia but was later revised after discussions with Ukrainian and European representatives in Geneva. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed support for these diplomatic efforts but emphasized the need for Ukraine to preserve its sovereignty and the ability to defend itself from further attacks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his stance on ending the conflict, stating that Russia would only halt its offensive if Ukrainian forces withdrew from territories claimed by Moscow. Currently, Russian troops control most of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, along with parts of the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Western allies have called for a ceasefire to be implemented along the current front lines. Putin also confirmed that a U.S. delegation, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, was scheduled to visit Moscow next week to discuss the peace plan further.
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