RUSSIA ATTACKS UKRAINE WITH HUNDREDS OF DRONES, ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE HIT
In one of the largest aerial offensives in recent months, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles at cities across Ukraine, with a particular focus on critical energy infrastructure, escalating the ongoing war and leaving millions vulnerable as the country struggles to maintain power supply amid intense summer heat.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force Command, the assault began in the early hours of the morning and continued for several hours, with over 200 Shahed drones—Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles—targeting major cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept a majority of the drones, but officials confirmed that several critical energy facilities were damaged, leading to power outages and grid instability in multiple regions.
Ukraine’s state-run energy company, Ukrenergo, reported extensive damage to substations, transmission lines, and thermal power plants, many of which were still undergoing repairs from earlier attacks. “The enemy is clearly attempting to paralyze our energy system ahead of winter,” said Ukrenergo’s chief, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi. “This is a direct assault on the civilian population.”
The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy confirmed that at least five power facilities had been hit, including high-voltage infrastructure and backup generation sites. Some facilities in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions were temporarily shut down, prompting concerns over rolling blackouts in the coming days. In Kyiv, several districts experienced brief power failures, though emergency teams were dispatched quickly to restore services.
Civilian casualties were also reported. Ukrainian authorities said at least 14 people were killed and more than 50 injured in various regions, mostly from drone fragments and fires sparked by the attacks. Residential buildings, schools, and hospitals near energy sites were affected. Emergency services battled fires throughout the day, and evacuations were carried out in high-risk areas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the assault, calling it a “cowardly and targeted attack on innocent civilians.” He urged Western allies to provide additional air defense systems, including Patriot batteries and F-16 fighter jets, which Ukraine has been requesting for months. “Russia’s goal is clear: to freeze our people in winter and break our will. We will not let them,” Zelenskyy said in a televised address.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, claimed the strikes were aimed at “military and strategic infrastructure used by Kyiv’s regime,” but provided no evidence. Russian state media portrayed the attacks as part of an effort to disrupt Ukrainian military logistics and command centers.
International response was swift. The European Union, United States, and United Nations condemned the strikes and reiterated their support for Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, “Russia’s use of Iranian drones to attack civilian energy systems is a war crime and must be addressed.”
Analysts believe this latest wave of attacks signals Russia’s intent to degrade Ukraine’s ability to function both militarily and economically, especially ahead of a potentially brutal winter. With infrastructure under siege and millions at risk, Ukraine continues to push for stronger defense support and accelerated reconstruction efforts to withstand further waves of assault.