Overnight Russian missile and drone strikes have caused power cuts in large parts of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Nine people were injured while residents in eastern districts were plunged into darkness and faced disruption to water supplies, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko stated.
Meanwhile, a seven-year-old child was killed in a separate Russian drone strike in the Zaporizhzhia area in the country's southeast, according to the Ukrainian regional head.
Moscow has escalated attacks on energy facilities over the recent weeks, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Russia of attempting to create chaos and apply psychological pressure.
Ukraine's Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk reported that Russia was inflicting a massive strike on facilities across the country overnight on Thursday, noting that repair crews were working tirelessly to restore power.
A wave of strikes targeted energy infrastructure and residential buildings in Kyiv, leading to injuries among residents, with five out of the nine injured being hospitalized. Images of firefighters battling flames at a high-rise building have been circulated by Ukraine's state emergency services.
In Zaporizhzhia, Ivan Fedorov, the regional head, confirmed that the city came under intense attacks overnight, resulting in the death of a child and injuries to three others. All of Ukraine remains on alert for potential hypersonic Kinzhal missile strikes, which are significantly harder to detect.
Zelensky indicated that Russia is deliberately trying to demolish Ukraine's energy grid, with reports of attacks already disrupting gas facilities, pushing energy workers and authorities to brace for further assaults.
