Russian drone and missile attacks injured over 20 individuals in Kyiv, causing damage to residential structures and triggering power outages in various parts of Ukraine on Friday. Additionally, a child lost his life in separate incidents in the southeastern region of the country.
In Kyiv, emergency teams rescued more than 20 people from a 17-story apartment building engulfed in flames on the sixth and seventh floors. Five individuals were hospitalized, while others received immediate medical assistance at the scene, as per authorities.
A resident, Tetiana Lemishevska, aged 61, recounted the sudden and sharp noise followed by the impact that shattered windows and sent glass fragments towards the door. The fire initially broke out on the sixth or seventh floor, rapidly spreading to other levels, prompting residents to evacuate without knowing the outcome.
The Ukrainian air force confirmed that the recent Russian onslaught involved 465 strike and decoy drones, along with 32 missiles of various types. Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted or disrupted 405 drones and 15 missiles during the attacks.
In the Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, populated areas and energy installations came under heavy assault from attack drones, missiles, and guided bombs. Tragically, a seven-year-old boy lost his life, and his parents and others suffered injuries. As a precautionary measure, a hydroelectric plant in the vicinity was shut down.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that the Russian strikes targeted civilian and energy infrastructure, coinciding with Ukraine’s preparations for the approaching winter season. Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko characterized the assault as one of the most concentrated attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities to date.
Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, reported power disruptions in Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Cherkasy regions. The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, mentioned that the assault resulted in power outages on both sides of the city, separated by the Dnipro River. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest electricity operator, confirmed that repair operations were already in progress at several damaged thermal plants.
The energy sector has emerged as a pivotal battleground since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Russia’s strategy has historically aimed to destabilize the Ukrainian power grid before the harsh winter period, potentially impacting public morale. Ukrainian winter temperatures typically range from late October through March, with January and February being the coldest months.