Russia launches massive attack on Ukraine power grid

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 23:50 · Archive

Russia has bombarded Ukraine's energy infrastructure with hundreds of missiles and drones, causing widespread power cuts days before scheduled peace talks.

Russia has conducted one of the largest attacks of its war on Ukraine, striking energy infrastructure across the country with 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The bombardment targeted power plants and substations from the Black Sea port of Odesa in the south to Rivne in the west, causing widespread power cuts in Kyiv and at least six other regions. The attack also disrupted water supplies and transport in the capital.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said three drones were deployed in the direction of a substation vital to the operations of the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant, 'creating a threat not only to Ukraine but also to nuclear safety throughout Europe'. Meanwhile, Russian officials said Ukraine had set fire to a major oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl overnight.

The assault came less than two days after the end of a brief humanitarian truce in the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky and a week before US-brokered peace talks scheduled for Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday. At a press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskiy said the attack showed Moscow was intent on killing people instead of building on the humanitarian ceasefire. He appealed to allies for additional air defences, suggesting the timing coincided with US congressional elections.

How it is being reported

• Russia bombards Ukraine power grid before peace talksRussia has unleashed one of the largest attacks of its war on Ukraine, causing widespread power cuts, disrupting water supplies and transport.Perth Now · 3 Nov, 23:38
• Russia bombards Ukraine power grid before peace talksRussia has unleashed one of the largest attacks of its war on Ukraine, causing widespread power cuts, disrupting water supplies and transport.The West Australian · 3 Nov, 23:38

In this story: Russia · Ukraine · Volodymyr Zelenskiy · Kyiv · Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant · Denys Shmyhal · Abu Dhabi · Friedrich Merz

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log