Ukraine’s energy grid has suffered extensive damage following a large-scale Russian assault overnight, prompting emergency power cuts across the country and raising fears of a humanitarian crisis as winter sets in.

The barrage—described by Ukrainian officials as the most intense targeting of thermal power plants since the war began—struck nine provinces and forced shutdowns of key facilities, leaving households and industries facing up to 23 hours of daily outages.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the attack involved 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic, and 458 drones—more than 300 of which were Iranian-made Shahed models. While 415 aerial targets were intercepted, at least 25 successfully hit their marks.

In Dnipro, a drone struck a nine-story residential building, killing one woman and injuring ten others, including a child. “Shrapnel flew onto my bed – we screamed, running downstairs amid explosions,” said survivor Larysa.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and renewed calls for additional Western air defense systems. “Only a few systems intercept such missiles effectively – we need more Patriots and missiles,” he said. Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk announced rolling blackouts beginning Sunday, with national grid operator Ukrenergo scheduling hourly outages from midnight to 11:59 p.m. in staggered shifts.

Centrenergo confirmed the shutdown of the Zmiivska Thermal Power Plant in Kharkiv and the Trypilska facility near Kyiv, further straining the grid. The attacks come as temperatures across Ukraine drop to single digits Celsius, compounding the impact on civilians and critical infrastructure.

The strikes are believed to be in retaliation for recent Ukrainian operations and mark a renewed phase in Russia’s campaign to cripple Ukraine’s energy sector. Zelenskyy warned that without urgent international support, the country faces a deepening humanitarian emergency.