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Russian Attacks on Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure and Zelensky's Statements (2024-2026)
Russia has conducted systematic missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since 2022, intensifying in 2024-2025, causing widespread blackouts. Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, described the situation as difficult but emphasized resilience without accepting defeat.
Why It Matters
The attacks threaten civilian life, economy, and military capacity during winter, testing Ukraine's endurance in the ongoing war while prompting international energy aid.
Timeline
10 Events
PM Shmyhal reports total damage to power plants
January 16, 2026
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated every Ukrainian power plant damaged, 612 attacks in 2025 alone, but grid holds under strain with emergency cuts.
Massive strike impacting heating
January 9, 2026
Strike left nearly 6,000 Kyiv high-rises without heat amid -15°C temperatures and daily attacks.
Large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure
October 10, 22, 30, 2025
Three attacks caused emergency outages across most regions; attacks intensified with high civilian casualties.
Last of five cold season attacks
January 15, 2025
Fifth major attack in the series between November 2024 and January 2025, totaling 30 large-scale strikes since 2022.
Cold season attacks begin
November 17, 2024
Countrywide combined missile and drone attacks resumed, occurring almost every two weeks.
Severe assault on energy infrastructure
August 26, 2024
Russia launched 127 missiles and 109 drones, reducing power capacity to 12-13 GW amid over 400 strikes in first eight months of 2024.
Destruction of half power generation capacity
Mid-June 2024
Cumulative Russian strikes destroyed 9 GW of Ukraine's power generation, half of winter peak demand.
Massive missile and drone attack
March 22, 2024
Russia hit energy facilities including Dnipro Dam and thermal plants in Kharkiv, leaving over one million without electricity.
Attacks resume with mass strike
September 21, 2023
Russia launched a mass wave attack across regions, first major strike on power infrastructure in six months, causing partial blackouts in multiple oblasts.
First major coordinated attack on power grid
October 10, 2022
Russia launched 84 cruise missiles and 24 loitering munitions against Ukraine's power grid, including Kyiv, causing widespread damage.