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Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have caused power cuts in several regions, grid operator Ukrenergo said on Thursday, urging consumers to limit usage.
Recent attacks have caused outages from the Kharkiv region in the east, Chernihiv and Sumy in the north, to Rivne in the northwest and Kirovohrad in central Ukraine, it said.
“Where security conditions currently allow, emergency repair and restoration work is already under way,” a statement read.
“Energy workers are doing everything possible to restore power to all disconnected consumers as quickly as possible.”
The cuts come after Russia said on Wednesday that it deliberately targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with drones and missiles in the capital, Kyiv, and nearby region.
Kyiv said it was Moscow’s opening salvo in an expected campaign to try to knock out heating and power as winter approaches.
A recent increase in strikes has prompted fears about another winter with little or no power or heating, after similar attacks last year when temperatures plunged to -20C.
Some emergency power outages were implemented in Kyiv on Wednesday night.
Ukrenergo urged domestic consumers to switch “intensive energy use” to daytime hours and said “economical” use was needed in some areas in the evening.
Hourly power outages and capacity limits for industrial consumers were not currently being implemented, it added.
But the operator still urged a reduction in use at night, particularly in Kyiv and the surrounding regions.
Moscow’s forces also hit a school in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, with Russia increasing strikes on the capital as it braces for another winter of war.
Children and teachers were already in a shelter, Kyiv said, reporting no casualties.
“Russian scumbags continue attacking life across our country, Ukrainian children and our schools,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, publishing footage of the building with blown-out windows.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly appealed to Ukraine’s allies for more military support, including US-made interceptors to combat Russia’s powerful ballistic missiles.
“Every interceptor missile truly saves lives,” he said on Wednesday. “And the closer we get to winter, the more of this protection we need.”
Strikes on Odesa
Meanwhile, one person was injured in the southern port city of Odesa overnight into Thursday, after a Russian attack struck a business centre sparking a fire and damaging the roof and the facades of two other buildings, local authorities said.
The blast shattered windows and partially destroyed walls on the fifth floor, Odesa Regional State Emergency Service said.
“A fire broke out at the scene and was extinguished by firefighters. Unfortunately, one person was injured,” Oleksander Kolosyuk, a representative of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, said.
Russia launched 107 drones at Ukraine overnight into Thursday, including 63 jet-powered drones, Ukraine’s Air Force said in its daily report.
Attacks were recorded at 11 locations, while debris from downed drones fell at four.
The Air Force said the attack was still ongoing, with more drones in the air.
Additional sources • AP, AFP