Russian strikes leave 600,000 Ukrainians without power
President Zelenskyy says the latest attacks damaged energy infrastructure and exposed tensions with Kyiv’s allies.
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Russian strikes have left about 600,000 people without electricity in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after an overnight barrage. The attacks also hit civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and prompted renewed accusations that Russia is targeting essential services ahead of winter.
Zelenskyy said the figure included people affected after Russian missiles struck Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine. The Associated Press reported that five Russian ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the capital, followed by further strikes aimed at energy systems. Ukrainian authorities reported the scale of the power disruption, which has not been independently verified in full.
The Ukrainian president also said Kyiv had received no advance warning from partner countries before the ballistic missiles were launched. US President Donald Trump said Washington was still sharing intelligence with Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official described the lack of warning as a possible failure linked to circumstances such as weather, while stressing that the explanation had not been formally confirmed.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had attacked Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, logistics centres, rail and port infrastructure, and vessels carrying military cargo. Ukrainian officials described damage to energy facilities and civilian buildings. The competing accounts could not be independently reconciled, and Moscow’s description of the targets remains a claim by the Russian side.
The strikes came as Ukraine prepares for another winter in which damage to power, heating and water systems could affect households across the country. The British government said on Tuesday that Russia had mounted 200 attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the previous week, alongside what it described as 1,450 bombs and 1,600 drones fired at Ukraine in the same period.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband used a visit to Warsaw to support Zelenskyy’s call for an energy ceasefire. The UK said attacks on energy infrastructure should stop and linked the war’s effects to wider European security, including the risk of cyber-attacks and sabotage against critical systems.
The latest barrage also adds pressure to an already disputed ceasefire proposal. Trump has said Russia and Ukraine agreed not to attack energy infrastructure, but Russia has not confirmed such an agreement. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had respected the proposed pause while accusing Moscow of continuing to strike Ukrainian energy sites. Those claims remain part of the wider dispute over responsibility for the escalation.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Ukrainian authorities and President Zelenskyy reported widespread power disruption after Russian strikes.
- AP reported that ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and that further strikes targeted energy systems.
- Russia said it targeted military and logistics infrastructure, while Ukraine described damage to energy and civilian infrastructure.
- The UK government called for an energy ceasefire and said the attacks had wider implications for European security.
Left
Arguments A left-wing view would argue that attacks on energy infrastructure are an assault on civilian life and that Britain should increase humanitarian, diplomatic and defensive support for Ukraine while pressing harder for an enforceable ceasefire.
Values The emphasis is on protecting civilians, international law, collective security and preventing winter energy hardship.
Consequences Supporters would warn that insufficient aid could leave Ukraine exposed and make attacks on civilian infrastructure appear strategically effective.
Centre
Arguments A centrist view would support Ukraine’s defensive needs while insisting that every claim about targets, intelligence-sharing and a possible ceasefire is independently tested. It would favour coordinated European diplomacy alongside practical energy and air-defence assistance.
Values The emphasis is on evidence, alliance management, civilian protection and avoiding uncontrolled escalation.
Consequences The main concern would be sustaining support without closing diplomatic channels or allowing disputed claims to drive policy.
Right
Arguments A right-wing view would stress deterrence, stronger European defence and protection of critical infrastructure, while questioning open-ended commitments and demanding clear strategic objectives from the government.
Values The emphasis is on national security, military credibility, control of public spending and limiting the risks of wider confrontation.
Consequences Supporters would warn that weak deterrence could invite further attacks, but also that deeper involvement without a defined end state could expose Britain to greater costs and danger.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Priya Shah — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article clearly attributes the central power-loss figure and separates verified reporting from competing claims. Current AP, Sky News and UK government material support the main chronology and context.
- confirmed Zelenskyy said about 600,000 people were without power after Russian strikes. — Reported in the current Sky News live coverage; the figure is attributed to Zelenskyy. source
- confirmed Five Russian ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. — Reported by the Associated Press from Zelenskyy's statement and Ukrainian reporting. source
- confirmed Trump said the United States was still sharing intelligence with Ukraine. — Included in the AP report on the latest strikes. source
- confirmed Russia's Defence Ministry said it targeted military-industrial, logistics, rail and port infrastructure. — The claim is explicitly attributed to the Russian Defence Ministry by AP. source
- confirmed The UK government said Russia mounted 200 attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the previous week. — Stated in the FCDO release published on 13 October 2026. source
- confirmed Russia has not confirmed the proposed energy ceasefire. — Reported by AP in its account of the disputed proposal. source
Editor's note
The power-loss figure is attributed to President Zelenskyy and has not been independently verified in full. The missile strikes, damage to energy and civilian infrastructure, competing Russian and Ukrainian accounts, and the British response are supported by current public sources.Sources
- Ukraine wasn't warned of Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Zelenskyy says — Associated Press
- Ukraine war latest: New Russian strikes leave 600,000 without power — Sky News
- Back Zelenskyy and Ukraine with an energy ceasefire — UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
More on this in other media
- ITV News — „ukraine russia”
- BBC News — „ukraine russia”
- The Guardian — „ukraine russia”