Russia Strikes Ukraine's Power Grid Ahead of Abu Dhabi Peace Talks
Russian missile and drone strikes have cut power to hundreds of thousands across Ukraine days before US-mediated peace talks open in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Aleksandr Grigoryev
Russian missile and drone strikes battered Ukraine’s energy network overnight, leaving more than 600,000 people without electricity in the Dnipropetrovsk region and about 250,000 more in Kharkiv, days before US-mediated peace talks are due to open in Abu Dhabi. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 12 regions came under attack in a wave of more than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones, and Reuters reported that Russia said its forces had hit power substations and ships in the Black Sea.
The strikes hit substations connecting the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central Ukraine, damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River, and disrupted water and heating in parts of the capital. One person was killed in the Kyiv region and nine injured across the country, including one child.
- Russian missile and drone strikes battered Ukraine’s energy network overnight, leaving more than 600,000 people without electricity in the Dnipropetrovsk region and about 250,000 more in Kharkiv.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 12 regions came under attack in a wave of more than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones; the trilateral talks are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
- The attacks briefly cut external power to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, forcing it onto emergency generators, and disrupted water and heating supplies in parts of Kyiv.
Ukraine’s largest private power company, DTEK, said the overnight attack damaged important energy facilities in Dnipropetrovsk, and repairs were being hampered by continuing strikes. In Dnipro, hospitals switched to diesel generators and electric-powered public transport ground to a halt. In Kharkiv, officials said a Russian drone struck critical infrastructure, with no word on when supply would be restored.
The attacks also briefly cut external power to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, forcing it onto emergency generators before supply was restored late on Sunday, according to Energoatom and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had targeted military and industrial sites, and on Monday said they had hit three more power substations overnight and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea that Moscow claimed was carrying weapons to Ukraine, which Reuters said it could not independently verify.
| Region | Impact |
|---|---|
| Dnipropetrovsk | More than 600,000 without electricity; DTEK facilities damaged; hospitals on diesel generators. |
| Kharkiv | About 250,000 without electricity; drone struck critical infrastructure; no timetable for restoration. |
| Kyiv | Hit hardest of 12 regions; Northern Bridge damaged; water and heating disrupted; one person killed in the Kyiv region. |
| Zaporizhzhia plant | External power briefly cut; emergency generators used; supply restored late on Sunday. |
| Countrywide | More than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones; nine injured. |
The strikes land at the start of winter, when Ukraine’s power and heating networks are already under strain. Russia began stepping up attacks on energy infrastructure in late September and has targeted the sector every winter since its full-scale invasion began. Zelenskyy accused Moscow of attacking critical infrastructure to influence the negotiations.
The trilateral talks, mediated by the United States, are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. Russia’s delegation will be led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, while US envoy Steve Witkoff has said the talks will cover security arrangements after the war, de-escalation and humanitarian issues. Nothing of substance has been agreed so far, and the last round, in Geneva, took place in February. The G7 foreign ministers are also meeting in Paris on Monday to press the United States on Ukraine, as the diplomatic track on Iran stalls elsewhere.
Repair crews were working across the affected regions on Monday, but Kharkiv officials gave no timetable for restoring power. In Kyiv, the mayor said the water supply system was back to operating normally and about 60 percent of the city’s apartment buildings had been reconnected to heating. Whether the talks produce any pause in the fighting will become clearer on Tuesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people lost power in the strikes?
More than 600,000 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region and about 250,000 in the Kharkiv region were left without electricity.
What happened at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?
The attacks briefly cut external power to the plant, Europe’s largest, forcing it onto emergency generators before supply was restored late on Sunday, according to Energoatom and the IAEA.
When are the Abu Dhabi talks scheduled?
The trilateral talks, mediated by the United States, are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with Russia’s delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky.
