Ukraine / Energy · Public record
Russian strikes damage Ukrainian power grid in 12 regions before Abu Dhabi talks
Russian drone and ballistic missile attacks damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure in 12 regions, injuring nine people including one child, as temperatures drop and trilateral talks are scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow was preparing for the talks by launching attacks on critical infrastructure.
What happened
Overnight drone and ballistic missile attacks damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The wave of attacks consisted of more than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones. Nine people were reported to have been hurt across the country, including one child.
Zelensky said 12 Ukrainian regions came under attack with the capital Kyiv hit hardest. In Kyiv, residential buildings, the North Bridge, and a kindergarten were damaged. In the Kyiv region, strikes hit substations that connect the Rivne and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central Ukraine.
Beyond Kyiv, substations were damaged in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, according to Zelensky. Energy minister Denys Shmyhal said there were power cuts in five regions but did not say how many homes were affected. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said around 60 per cent of the city's apartment buildings were connected to the heating system.
Context and timing
The attacks come before Ukrainian and Russian delegations are due to take part in trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week. Zelensky wrote on Telegram that Moscow was preparing for the talks by launching attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure.
Temperatures are dropping in Ukraine, and parts of the country have had the first winter snow. The situation in the capital is difficult, with disruptions to electricity, water, and heating supplies, Zelensky said. Klitschko said the city's water supply system is back to operating normally.
The attacks follow a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky, which both Moscow and Kyiv credited US First Lady Melania Trump with brokering. Hundreds of residents facing starvation and constant bombardment were able to evacuate during the ceasefire. Earlier this week, a number of people were killed when glide bombs hit an aid centre near Zaporizhzhia, with the death toll rising to 55.
Who is affected
Residents in 12 Ukrainian regions experienced attacks, with Kyiv residents facing disruptions to electricity, water, and heating supplies as winter begins. Nine people were injured including one child. Klitschko said around 60 per cent of Kyiv's apartment buildings were connected to the heating system.
Zelensky said Ukraine was counting on increased bilateral support from the United States. He wrote that Ukraine was counting on unity between both parties on issues of security, support for Ukraine, condemnation of Russian aggression, and increased sanctions pressure on Putin. He added that the resolve and consistency of the United States in supporting Ukraine are of great importance in bringing peace closer.
US First Lady Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the White House on Thursday. She called for a more enduring ceasefire in Ukraine following the truce last week in the southern region of Kherson. She thanked both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, making no reference to the origins of the war.
What to watch
- Whether trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week proceed and produce any ceasefire agreement
- Whether Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continue or pause during or after the Abu Dhabi talks
- Whether the United States announces increased bilateral support for Ukraine following Zelensky's request for unity between both parties
- Whether Ukraine accepts a reported invitation for Zelensky to make a state visit to the UK next year
What we don't know yet
- How many homes were affected by power cuts in the five regions mentioned by the energy minister
- What specific outcomes or agenda items are planned for the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week
- Whether the attacks on substations connecting nuclear power plants to Kyiv caused any disruption to nuclear plant operations