A massive Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine killed three people and cut power to several regions just two days before Christmas, as the country faces a cold snap.
Local officials said Russia launched more than 650 drones and over 30 missiles in the assault, which began overnight and continued into Tuesday morning. The victims included a four-year-old child.
Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace during the strike, according to a statement from the country’s army.
In a Telegram post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the timing: “A strike before Christmas, when people want to be with their families, at home, in safety. A strike, in fact, in the midst of negotiations that are being conducted to end this war. Putin cannot accept the fact that we must stop killing.”
The attack followed weekend talks in Miami involving Donald Trump’s peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, and separate meetings with representatives from Russia and Ukraine, including Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Witkoff described the discussions as “constructive,” but there was no indication they moved closer to achieving lasting peace.
Ukraine has been working with its European allies to broker a compromise agreement with the U.S., though Zelenskyy has stressed that territorial concessions remain a major obstacle. Despite repeated optimistic signals from the White House that peace is near, Russia shows no sign of accepting the terms Kyiv and Washington have developed.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state media after the talks that “slow progress is being observed.” However, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia will only agree to a deal that addresses what he calls the “root causes” of the conflict.
As negotiations continue, Russia has persistently targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, seemingly aiming to worsen living conditions and undermine Ukrainian morale. Tuesday’s assault—described by energy operator Ukrenergo as the ninth mass attack on energy infrastructure this season—left three western regions “almost completely without power.”
Kyiv and other cities have endured scheduled blackouts for weeks as the grid strains under reduced capacity during winter. Temperatures have fallen below freezing across much of Ukraine, with a high of -5°C forecast for Kyiv on Wednesday.
Reports indicate a toddler was killed in the northwestern Zhytomyr region, while a drone strike claimed the life of a woman near Kyiv. Authorities in several western regions reported damage to energy facilities.
In the southern city of Odesa, Russian strikes hit a series of infrastructure targets and damaged more than 100 houses, according to local officials. The key port city has faced relentless attacks in recent weeks, resulting in prolonged power shortages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the recent Russian strikes in Ukraine designed to cover a range of questions from basic to more advanced
Basic Information Impact
1 What happened
Russian forces launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure The strikes killed at least three people caused significant damage to power plants and substations and left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity and heat during a period of freezing winter weather
2 Where did this happen
The attacks targeted multiple regions across Ukraine The most severe damage and power outages were reported in the south and east including the Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions but impacts were felt nationwide
3 Why is losing power in freezing weather so dangerous
Without power people lose heating lighting and the ability to cook This can lead to hypothermia especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly and children It also cripples critical services like hospitals water supply systems and emergency response
4 Who were the three people killed
Reports indicate the victims were civilians Specific identities are often withheld initially out of respect for families but they were individuals caught in the strikes or resulting emergencies such as fires or building collapses
Context Strategy
5 Why is Russia attacking energy infrastructure again
Military analysts believe this is a renewed strategy to break Ukrainian morale and weaken the countrys ability to function By causing a humanitarian crisis in the winter Russia aims to put extreme pressure on the civilian population and overwhelm Ukraines government and repair crews
6 Is this a new tactic
No its an escalation of a tactic used last winter Russia heavily targeted Ukraines power grid throughout the winter of 20222023 This new wave suggests a focused effort to finish crippling the system before the coldest part of the winter sets in
7 What is Ukraine doing to defend against these attacks
Ukraine uses its air defense systems including Westernsupplied Patriot and IRIST batteries to shoot down incoming missiles and drones However the attacks are designed to overwhelm these defenses with a large number of targets and some inevitably get through
8 What is being done to help people without power
The Ukrainian government local authorities and aid organizations are setting up invincibility pointsheated shelters where people can charge devices get warm have
