Russia Ramps Up Strikes on Ukraine Energy After Offensive Stalls
Firefighters battle flames at a thermal power plant following a series of explosions in Kyiv on Oct. 10.
Photographer: Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty ImagesRussia has intensified its air strikes on Ukrainian cities as part of a deliberate strategy to cripple the country’s energy system and demoralize its population after a summer offensive failed to gain traction.
As winter approaches, Russian missiles and drones triggered a blackout in Kyiv early Friday reminiscent of sprawling power disruptions in the capital in the first full winter of the war, in 2022-2023. Destruction and outages in other regions across the war-battered nation spread as air defenses struggled to down hundreds of projectiles across Ukraine’s vast territory.