Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine energy infrastructure

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 13:39 · Archive

Russia is stepping up attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of winter, President Zelenskyy said.

Russia is stepping up attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in a bid to cut electricity and heating to civilians as winter approaches, according to President Zelenskyy. More than 15 critical power generation and transmission facilities were targeted across different regions of Ukraine in one of Russia's biggest attacks on the energy sector since its full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Power was reportedly cut for about 1 million people. Restoration work is ongoing, with Ukrainian energy companies deploying all available resources.

Zelenskyy said Russia was attempting to render the country "virtually unlivable" by stretching Ukraine's reserves and repair capacity. He called on allies to pressure Moscow to stop the campaign. The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had attacked several infrastructure targets overnight, naming an electricity substation in the northwestern city of Zhytomyr, as well as steelworks in Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia.

Zelenskyy also criticised a US executive order signed on Friday that waived key sanctions on Russia, describing it as an "American sanctions blackout" that encouraged Putin to continue striking. He expressed regret that a bill by Senator Lindsey Graham intended to introduce further pressure on Russia to end the war had been ignored.

How it is being reported

• Zelenskyy says Putin is looking to cause Ukraine-wide ‘blackout’The Ukrainian president called an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump an "American sanctions blackout."Politico Europe · 17 Oct, 13:23
• Russia wants blackout in Ukraine as winter comes — ZelenskyyUkrainian President Zelenskyy says Russia is trying to cut electricity and heating to civilians ahead of winter. He also called the US president's waiver of new sanctions on Moscow a boost for Vladimir Putin.DW News · 17 Oct, 12:34

In this story: Russia · Ukraine · Volodymyr Zelenskyy · Vladimir Putin · Donald Trump · Kyiv · Zhytomyr · Kryvyi Rih

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