Ukraine is set to experience power cuts lasting between eight and 16 hours across most regions on Sunday, after Russian attacks reduced the country's generating capacity to 'zero', state transmission system operator Ukrenergo has announced. The latest wave of strikes, which Moscow has escalated in recent months, targeted energy infrastructure nationwide, killing at least seven people.
State power firm Centerenergo warned that generating capacity 'is down to zero', while repairs are underway. Despite some stabilisation, regions including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Chernihiv and Sumy could continue to face regular outages, according to Ukraine's energy minister.
Russian drones also struck two nuclear power substations in western Ukraine, threatening the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear plants. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to respond, stating that Russia is 'deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe'. He urged China and India to press Moscow to halt the attacks.
Experts warn that the assaults on energy infrastructure risk leaving Ukraine without heating before winter. The weekend attack was the ninth massive strike on gas infrastructure since early October, with half of Ukraine's natural gas production shut down, according to the Kyiv School of Economics. Oleksandr Kharchenko, a top energy expert, cautioned that if Kyiv's power and heating plants fail for more than three days in freezing temperatures, the capital could face a 'technological disaster'.
In response, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries. Early Sunday, Russia's defence ministry reported destroying 44 Ukrainian drones over the country.
