Russian assault on Ukraine's power grid leaves over 100,000 without power in north, east

A massive wave of Russian missile and drone strikes battered Ukraine’s energy and port infrastructure on Oct. 22, as Moscow intensified its campaign to plunge Ukrainians into darkness ahead of winter.

Emergency power cuts were imposed across most regions while exhausted repair crews worked around the clock—often under continued shelling—to restore damaged grids. The grim routine has become part of daily life for many energy workers since Russia renewed its bombardment in early October, aiming to cripple Ukraine’s power system before the heating season begins.

Starting late on Oct. 21 and continuing into the following morning, Russian forces hit critical energy facilities in Kyiv and its surrounding region, as well as in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa oblasts, according to Ukrainian officials.

Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov described the situation as “most critical” in Chernihiv and Sumy—bordering Belarus and Russia—and in Odesa and Kharkiv. Around 140,000 consumers in Chernihiv were left without power on the afternoon of Oct. 22.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Russia appears to be systematically targeting Ukraine’s energy grid region by region. Northern and eastern border areas remain the most vulnerable, as local power generation has been largely destroyed.

“We are forced to transmit large volumes of electricity from western and central regions through a network already weakened by strikes on substations and high-voltage lines,” explained Olena Lapenko, president of the Dixi Group energy think tank, in an interview with the Kyiv Independent. “Sometimes there’s enough electricity in the system, but it’s physically impossible to deliver it to certain areas.”

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported that it had restored power to 14,200 households in Odesa Oblast using backup systems after one of its facilities was hit. Details were withheld for security reasons as Russian strikes become more accurate and coordinated.

The Energy Ministry warned that Russia is increasingly using “double-tap” tactics—launching a second strike on the same site after emergency crews arrive—to deliberately target first responders and energy workers.

In the southern city of Izmail, Odesa Oblast, air attacks knocked out power to thousands and damaged port facilities on the Danube River. Although smaller than Odesa’s seaports, Izmail has become crucial for grain exports amid the Black Sea blockade.

“Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine’s export-oriented economy and the tax-paying enterprises that finance our defense,” said Serhiy Vovk, director of the Center for Transportation Strategies, in an interview with the Kyiv Independent.

Further north, in Poltava Oblast, Russian missiles and debris damaged oil and gas installations, according to regional governor Volodymyr Kohut. Earlier strikes in October had already hit an estimated 60 percent of Ukraine’s gas production capacity.

Ukraine now faces another winter under threat of rolling blackouts. Much of its energy infrastructure remains exposed to air attacks, and experts warn that prolonged outages could worsen both the economic and humanitarian situations.

“Power shortages raise electricity costs for businesses, pushing up production prices and inflation,” said Nataliia Kolesnichenko, senior economist at the Center for Economic Strategy, in an interview with the Kyiv Independent. “Lower power generation will directly weigh on GDP.”

While companies are better equipped than they were during the first wave of strikes in 2022, she added, a deterioration in energy security could quickly reverse recent economic stabilization.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) echoed those concerns, warning that intensified attacks could “further exacerbate” Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis, particularly in front-line regions. The agency has already observed a rise in internal displacement over the summer—an exodus likely to grow as winter cold meets the darkness of a shattered grid.

Read more here.