Russian drone and missile attacks plunged southeastern Ukraine into near-total blackouts on Thursday, targeting both residential areas and industrial infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the strikes an attempt to “break” the country as residents face freezing winter conditions.
Overnight drone attacks hit Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, leaving millions without electricity. Private energy provider DTEK said power was restored to nearly 700,000 households by Thursday evening, though 194,000 households—including much of Kryvyi Rih—remained without electricity.
Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskiy’s hometown, suffered one of the heaviest combined drone and missile attacks since February 2022. Twenty-nine apartment buildings were damaged, leaving more than 70,000 people without power, while water supply continued at reduced pressure.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba noted that more than 1.7 million households across Ukraine were experiencing water supply problems. In Dnipro, authorities reported water was back to normal and power and heating were expected to be fully restored soon.
Civilian casualties reported
The Russian attack in Kryvyi Rih killed one person and injured 24 others, including six children, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the local military administration. Residents described generators humming outside downtown stores as they coped with intermittent blackouts.
“This is not the first blackout, and I suspect it will not be the last, so we are working — we are prepared,” said Iryna, a barista in Dnipro.
Russian strikes target industry
Key Ukrainian industries were also disrupted. ArcelorMittal temporarily suspended some steel production in Kryvyi Rih, while Zaporizhstal reported a halt in operations. Odesa port facilities suffered drone strikes, with an empty oil storage tank damaged.
Zelenskiy emphasized that the attacks were aimed at civilians and critical infrastructure. “This is Russia's war specifically against our people, against life in Ukraine — an attempt to break Ukraine,” he said on X.
Warnings of new strikes
Authorities warned that further attacks could occur. Zelenskiy cautioned in his nightly address that “there could be a new, massive Russian strike this evening” and urged residents to follow alerts. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv echoed the warning, citing information about a potentially significant air attack in the coming days.
Moscow has increasingly focused on Ukraine’s energy sector amid ongoing battles on the ground and international pressure on Kyiv to negotiate peace. Zelenskiy criticized Russia for emphasizing “winter over diplomacy” and urged the international community to maintain pressure.
