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The Winter Weapon A New Barrage on Ukraine's Energy Grid

Monday, 10 November 2025 02:16

Summary

A massive, coordinated Russian missile and drone assault struck Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure in early November 2025, marking one of the most destructive attacks since the full-scale invasion began. The barrage, which involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, targeted power generation facilities and distribution networks simultaneously, a shift in tactics designed to maximise disruption as winter approached. Cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv faced extensive emergency power cuts, with the national thermal power generation capacity temporarily reduced to zero. The strikes resulted in at least seven civilian deaths, including a deadly drone impact on a residential building in Dnipro. Ukrainian officials condemned the attacks as an attempt to 'weaponise winter' and called for immediate, stronger sanctions on Russia's energy sector and the urgent delivery of more advanced air defence systems.

The Night of Zero Generation

The night of 7-8 November 2025 saw a massive, coordinated aerial assault launched by Russian forces against Ukraine, an attack described by officials as one of the largest since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The barrage involved a total of 458 drones and 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic missiles, aimed at critical infrastructure across the country. Ukrainian air defence forces reported successfully intercepting 406 of the drones and nine of the missiles. Despite the high interception rate, the sheer volume and precision of the remaining strikes caused catastrophic damage to the nation's power grid. The attacks were so severe that Ukraine's two largest energy companies, DTEK and Centrenergo, confirmed a complete halt in thermal power generation across the country. Centrenergo, a major state-owned energy company, stated that all of its thermal power plants had stopped operating after simultaneous strikes on multiple sites, declaring the generating capacity was down to 'zero'. DTEK, the largest private energy company, reported that one of its thermal power plants sustained 'serious damage' in what was the 211th attack on its energy assets since the start of the war. The strikes hit energy facilities in the Kyiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions, among others. Emergency power outages were immediately introduced in Kyiv and several other regions, suspending regular blackout schedules. In the capital, Kyiv, some areas were expected to remain without electricity for up to 12 hours. The state grid operator, Ukrenergo, warned that power would be reduced in most regions for between eight and 16 hours on 9 November as crews struggled to repair the battered infrastructure. The attacks also targeted gas infrastructure, marking the ninth such strike on gas facilities since early October. The Kyiv School of Economics estimated that previous attacks had already shut down approximately 50 per cent of Ukraine's natural gas production.

Civilian Toll and Urban Disruption

The massive aerial assault was not confined to industrial targets, with residential areas also suffering direct hits and casualties. At least seven people were killed across the country as a direct result of the strikes. The eastern city of Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth-largest city, was struck by a drone that slammed into a nine-story apartment building while many residents were sleeping. The impact in Dnipro killed three people and wounded 12 others, including two children. Rescuers worked at the site to recover bodies and evacuate residents from the damaged structure. In the Kharkiv region, farther north, a worker at an energy company was killed. Three additional fatalities were reported in the south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region. The widespread damage to the energy grid immediately translated into severe disruption of essential municipal services. In Kharkiv, the mayor reported a 'noticeable shortage of electricity,' which led to the suspension of subway services and interruptions to water supplies. The central Poltava region was also heavily affected, with the city of Kremenchuk, which has a population of 200,000, reporting a complete blackout. Municipal officials in Kremenchuk and Horishni Plavni were forced to use generators to maintain water supplies. The attacks also caused significant train delays, with the Restoration Minister, Oleksiy Kuleba, accusing Russia of stepping up its attacks on locomotive depots. The strikes were condemned by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who noted that Russian forces had targeted substations that power two nuclear power plants in Khmelnytskyi and Rivne, a move he described as 'deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe'.

The Strategy of Weaponising Winter

The timing and nature of the November 2025 attacks underscored a clear strategic objective: to cripple Ukraine's power and heating grid ahead of the winter months. This sustained campaign aims to deny civilians access to heat, light, and running water, effectively attempting to 'weaponise winter' and demoralise the Ukrainian population. The strikes were not merely a continuation of previous patterns but demonstrated a change in Russian tactics. Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Energy, Artem Nekrasov, noted that the enemy was now attempting to strike both power generation facilities and electricity transmission and distribution networks simultaneously. This dual-pronged approach is designed to overwhelm repair crews and make the restoration of power significantly more complex and time-consuming. The attacks on natural gas facilities, which produce the main fuel for heating, further highlight the intent to inflict hardship during the cold season. Russia's Ministry of Defence, in its official statement, asserted that the 'massive strike' was on Ukrainian weapons production and energy facilities that support their operation, claiming it was a response to Kyiv's strikes on Russian territory. However, Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Sybiha, countered that the strikes were aimed at people's everyday lives, depriving communities of power, water, and heating, and destroying critical civilian infrastructure. The attacks on energy infrastructure have been a recurring feature of the conflict, with Russia having targeted the power and heating grid throughout the nearly four-year invasion, destroying a large part of the key civilian infrastructure.

Calls for Air Defence and Sanctions

The severity of the November attacks prompted immediate and urgent appeals from Ukrainian leadership to its Western allies for increased military and political support. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a stronger international response, specifically urging Europe, the G7, and the United States to step up sanctions on Russia's energy sector. Zelenskyy argued that for every strike on energy infrastructure, which is aimed at harming ordinary people before winter, there must be a sanctions response targeting all Russian energy, with no exceptions. He specifically highlighted that Russia's nuclear energy sector was not yet under sanctions and that the Russian military-industrial complex continued to obtain Western microelectronics. Beyond sanctions, the President emphasised the critical need for more advanced air defence systems. He stated that his government was working to purchase more US-made Patriot air defence systems, noting that only a few systems in the world are capable of effectively intercepting the types of missiles being used. To protect the entire territory, he stressed the need for far more of these systems and the missiles for them. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, also called for the International Atomic Energy Agency to convene a meeting to address the attacks on substations supplying nuclear power plants, citing the 'unacceptable risks' to nuclear safety in Europe. The attacks occurred amid ongoing diplomatic efforts, which had not yet yielded a ceasefire or a significant de-escalation on the battlefield. The former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, had previously warned that Ukraine was facing a 'forever war' and a slow erosion of territory unless Europe increased its pressure on Russia.

Conclusion

The massive missile and drone assault in early November 2025 served as a stark reminder of the conflict's evolving nature, where civilian infrastructure has become a primary target in a strategy of attrition. The coordinated strikes, which temporarily halted thermal power generation and plunged major cities into emergency blackouts, demonstrated a calculated effort to inflict maximum hardship on the Ukrainian population as the cold season began. The immediate human cost, including the deaths of at least seven civilians, underscored the indiscriminate nature of the long-range bombardment. The Ukrainian government's urgent appeals for more Patriot air defence systems and comprehensive sanctions on Russia's energy sector reflect the critical need for enhanced protection against this 'weaponisation of winter'. As repair crews work around the clock to restore power, the long-term resilience of Ukraine's energy grid and the sustained support from its Western partners remain central to the country's ability to withstand this strategic pressure. The attacks have intensified the debate among allies over the speed and scale of military aid, particularly advanced air defence, which is now seen as a vital shield against a campaign designed to break the nation's will through cold and darkness.

References

  1. Russia changes tactics in attacks on Ukraine's energy sector

    Supports information on Russia's change in tactics to simultaneously target power generation and distribution networks, the impact on Kharkiv, Sumy, and Poltava, and the need for restoration time.

  2. Ukraine war latest: Russia launches 'one of the largest' attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since start of war

    Provides details on the scale of the attack (458 drones, 45 missiles), the number of downed targets, the emergency power cuts in Kyiv (over 12 hours), the damage to DTEK's thermal power plant, and President Zelenskyy's call for more Patriot air defence systems.

  3. Ukrainian Strikes Across Russian Border Regions Leave Thousands Without Power - The Moscow Times

    Confirms the total number of drones launched (458) and missiles (45), the number of downed drones (406) and missiles (9), the casualties in Dnipro (two killed, six wounded), the impact on Kharkiv (shortage of electricity, water, and partial heating), and the targeting of railway networks and locomotive depots.

  4. Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities kill at least seven - The Guardian

    Verifies the total death toll (at least seven), the number of drones (over 450) and missiles (45) launched, the specific casualties in Dnipro (three killed, 12 wounded in apartment building), Kharkiv (one killed), and Zaporizhzhia (three killed), the damage to energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv, the use of generators in Kremenchuk and Horishni Plavni, and President Zelenskyy's call for sanctions on Russian energy.

  5. Wide Ukraine Electricity Outages As Crews Struggle To Repair Damage From Russian Attacks - RFE/RL

    Details the extent of power cuts (eight to 16 hours), the severity of the strikes ('difficult to recall such a number of direct strikes'), the impact on Kremenchuk (complete blackout, public hubs opened), the casualties and damage in Dnipro and Kharkiv, and the strategic goal of Russia to 'freeze and demoralize Ukrainians' by targeting the power grid and gas facilities.

  6. Russia's overnight strikes cripple Ukraine's energy grid - Anadolu Ajansı

    Crucially confirms the 'zero generation' status of Centrenergo's thermal power plants and the 'unprecedented' scale of destruction reported by DTEK and Centerenergo, and the damage in Poltava, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions.

  7. 4 killed, 12 injured in Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian apartment building, energy sites - CBS News

    Provides specific casualty figures for the Dnipro apartment building strike (three killed, 12 wounded, including two children), the death of a worker in Kharkiv, the total number of drones (458) and missiles (45, including 32 ballistic) launched, and the number of downed targets.

  8. Russian strikes hit an apartment building and energy sites in Ukraine, killing 4

    Confirms the Dnipro apartment building strike details (three killed, 12 wounded, nine-story building), the death in Kharkiv, the total number of drones and missiles, and the number of downed targets.

  9. Strikes on energy sites, explosions in Dnipro and East - Full aftermath of Russia's combined attack on Ukraine

    Details the weapons used (drones, Kalibr, Kinzhal missiles), the regions reporting explosions (Dnipro, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia), the introduction of emergency blackouts in Kyiv and other regions, and the damage to a residential building in Dnipro.

  10. Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1354 - Al Jazeera

    Supports the total casualty figure (seven), the targeting of substations powering Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants, Foreign Minister Sybiha's condemnation, Prime Minister Svyrydenko's confirmation of hits in Kyiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv, the number of gas facility attacks, Russia's justification, and President Zelenskyy's call for sanctions on Russia's nuclear energy sector.

  11. Ukrainian strikes disrupt power and heating to 2 major cities in Russia - The Independent

    Provides context on the Russian strategy to 'cripple the Ukrainian power grid' and 'weaponize winter' to deny civilians heat, light, and running water.

  12. Ukrainian Power Outages Follow 'Massive' Russian Attack on Electric Grid - FDD

    Confirms the attack was the 'most massive strike' since the invasion, the 'zero' generating capacity, the number of drones (458) and missiles (45) launched, the number of hits (25 locations), the duration of Kyiv outages (10-12 hours), Zelenskyy's call for Patriot systems, and the total casualties (at least seven, with specific breakdown for Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia).

  13. Russian Attacks Target Critical Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure, Killing 3

    Confirms the scale of the attack (over 450 drones, 45 missiles), the casualties in Dnipro (two fatalities, 12 injuries) and Kharkiv (one death), the damage to energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv, the use of generators in Kremenchuk and Horishni Plavni, and Russia's justification for the strikes.