Russian Strikes on Power Plants Leave Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro Without Heat in Deep Freeze

Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure Under Attack

According to Главком: During the night of February 3, Russia launched a major assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The attacks, which occurred during a severe cold snap with temperatures as low as -25°C (-13°F), damaged combined heat and power plants (CHPPs) and thermal power plants (TPPs) that provide heating for the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. Civilian infrastructure in several regions was also hit, leaving many families without heating in the bitter cold. These strikes are part of a wider Russian campaign to target Ukraine's critical energy grid, especially during winter.

Approximately 350 to 500 unmanned aerial vehicles and up to 65 missiles of various types were used in the coordinated assault. Eight Ukrainian regions were affected, including Vinnytsia, where 50 settlements lost power. In Kyiv, three people were injured, and four people were wounded in the Sumy region.

Impact on the Civilian Population

The targeted facilities belonged to the company DTEK, which is responsible for heat supply in these areas. As a result of the strikes, over 50,000 residents of the Odesa region were left without electricity. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that the targets were exclusively civilian, leaving hundreds of thousands of families, including children, without heat during the harshest winter frosts.

These attacks on energy infrastructure during freezing weather highlight the vulnerability of Ukraine's heat and power supply systems and the severe consequences for the civilian population. - Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

The lack of heating during such a frigid period risks worsening the humanitarian situation in the affected regions. This latest barrage illustrates the ongoing conflict's direct impact on the daily lives of Ukrainians, who continue to endure the hardships of war.