Russia launches 'massive' attack on Ukraine's power grid, Poland scrambles air force

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said approximately 120 missiles and 90 drones were launched during a "massive" Russian attack on Ukraine, which he described as a deliberate assault on the country's energy system. 

"Unfortunately, there is damage to infrastructure from both strikes and falling debris," he said.

Explosions were reported in Kyiv, the capital, and multiple regions including Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa. 

Emergency power cuts were implemented in several areas, including Kyiv and the eastern regions of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk, as a precautionary measure to avoid further damage.

Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, said it had scrambled its air force inside its airspace as a security precaution during the attack, which it said used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones.

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko confirmed the attacks targeted electricity generation and transmission facilities.

Kyiv's air force said the military had destroyed 104 out of 120 missiles fired and 42 out of 90 drones launched by Russia.

The strikes reportedly damaged infrastructure in the Volyn region. In Mykolaiv, two people were killed in an overnight drone attack, while blasts in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia caused additional injuries, according to regional officials. Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported one injury in the capital caused by falling drone debris.

Russia's defence ministry said it had launched a massive strike on energy facilities that supply Ukraine's military-industrial complex.

In a statement the Russian defence ministry said: "Operational-tactical aviation , strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation damaged the infrastructure of military airfields, gas production facilities, energy facilities used for the operation of enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine, a warehouse of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as concentrations of enemy manpower and military equipment in 144 districts."

The strikes come as Ukraine faces increasing strain on its energy infrastructure, which has suffered significant damage since February 2022. Officials warn that the ongoing attacks could exacerbate the country's energy shortfalls during the harsh winter months. 

Zelenskyy previously estimated that half of Ukraine energy production capacity had already been destroyed by Russian bombardments.

Ukraine has appealed to its Western allies for assistance in rebuilding its energy grid and bolstering air defenses. However, concerns persist about the sustainability of international support amid shifting political dynamics.