In brief
Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv have plunged about 600,000 people in Ukraine into a power outage, President Zelensky warned. The attacks hit critical energy facilities, sparking a debate over an energy ceasefire that President Trump claimed had been agreed upon. While Russia claims to have shot down 115 drones, Ukraine reports 902 drones destroyed. With 20% of Ukrainian territory still under Russian control, the conflict over energy infrastructure intensifies.
At least 600,000 people across Ukraine are now without electricity after a string of lethal missile and drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky declared. The assaults targeted critical energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the capital region, and the north‑eastern city of Kharkiv.
The Russian defence ministry described its overnight barrage as “massive,” claiming it hit communications and energy sites used by Ukrainian forces. It also announced that 902 Ukrainian drones had been shot down over Russian regions, including Moscow and the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Ukrainian air‑force reports indicate that Russia launched 39 ballistic and cruise missiles and 128 drones, with only four missiles and 115 drones intercepted. The Greek casualty toll in Kyiv includes three deaths and 21 injuries, as noted by the state emergency service DSNS.
In a surprising move, President Trump posted on social media that an "energy ceasefire" had been enacted “effective immediately,” calling for all parties to honour it. Zelensky has expressed readiness to halt Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites if Moscow does the same, although Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the possibility of a respite.
With Russia’s full‑scale invasion beginning in 2022, Moscow maintains control over roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, making the control and protection of energy infrastructure a pivotal point in the ongoing conflict.
