Hundreds of drones and missiles targeted power facilities across the country, Ukrainian authorities reported. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the strikes, saying “the war criminal Putin continues a genocidal war against women, children and the elderly,” and added that energy infrastructure was hit in at least seven regions.
Sybiha urged Ukraine’s allies to strengthen air defense systems, writing on social media that “support for the Ukrainian people is urgent. There will be no peace in Europe without a lasting peace in Ukraine.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack could force him to skip the World Economic Forum in Switzerland as Kyiv focuses on restoring basic services. “This is now the highest priority, and in this case I choose Ukraine, not economic forums,” he told journalists, while leaving open the possibility of attending if agreements with the United States on postwar economic and security support are prepared.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 339 long-range attack drones and 34 missiles. Zelensky noted that ammunition for air defense systems arrived only a day before the strike.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 5,635 residential buildings were left without heating, adding that large parts of the capital also lacked running water. Schools will remain closed until February, and authorities have limited street lighting to conserve energy.
Regional officials reported additional damage. In the western Rivne region, power outages affected about 10,000 households. In the southern Odesa region, a drone struck a residential building and damaged energy facilities, while in Poltava a fire broke out at an industrial site.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy system since the start of the invasion, a campaign Kyiv says is aimed at breaking civilian morale. The Kremlin maintains it strikes only military targets and blames Ukraine for the war.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for two senior Russian military officials over attacks on the energy grid, describing them as war crimes against civilians. For security reasons, Ukrainian authorities did not disclose which facilities were hit.
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Source: Euronews, Polish Radio