‘Massive Strike’ Plunges Ukrainian Capital Into Darkness

Kyiv was plunged into darkness early Friday after what Ukraine’s air force described as a “massive attack” on the capital, as Russia intensified its strikes on energy and water infrastructure.

The assault, part of a renewed Kremlin campaign against Ukrainian utilities and transport systems, left large parts of the city without power or water. AFP journalists in Kyiv reported hearing multiple powerful explosions across several districts before widespread blackouts hit the capital.

“The capital is under enemy ballistic missile attack and a massive assault by strike drones,” the Ukrainian air force warned, urging residents to remain in shelters.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian forces targeted “critical infrastructure,” wounding at least nine people, including five who were hospitalized. “The left bank of the capital is without electricity. There are also problems with water supply,” he wrote on Telegram.

Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk confirmed that Russian forces had launched “a massive strike” on the grid, adding that emergency crews were working to contain damage. “As soon as security conditions allow, energy workers will assess the damage and begin restoration,” she said.

Ukraine placed the entire country on air alert, fearing the use of hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, which are difficult to detect and intercept.

Beyond Kyiv, Russia also struck the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia with at least seven drones overnight, killing a seven-year-old child and injuring three others, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow was trying to “create chaos and apply psychological pressure” by crippling Ukraine’s power grid and railways. He warned that sustained attacks could force Ukraine to increase gas imports as domestic infrastructure comes under strain.

At the same time, Kyiv has intensified its own drone and missile strikes on Russian territory. Zelensky said those attacks were yielding “results,” including rising fuel prices inside Russia. A Ukrainian strike on a power station in Russia’s Belgorod region reportedly caused local outages.

Moscow, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of damaging a defunct ammonia pipeline near the frontline, releasing toxic gas. Russian officials released video footage purporting to show chemical clouds rising from the site, though Ukrainian authorities in Donetsk said the incident posed no immediate danger to residents.

Amid a surge in Russian drone strikes, Ukrainian officials have ordered the evacuation of children and their guardians from Kramatorsk, the largest city in Donetsk still under Kyiv’s control. Nearby Sloviansk has also urged vulnerable residents to leave due to persistent attacks on its power system.

Ukraine’s military says Russia is increasingly using small, inexpensive first-person-view drones, which have transformed combat dynamics across the front line in recent months.

Next week, a Ukrainian delegation led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko will travel to the United States to discuss energy resilience and air defense amid mounting Russian bombardments.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington and NATO allies were “stepping up pressure” to end the war, though his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin have so far failed to produce a ceasefire. Trump hosted Putin in Alaska in August — a meeting after which Russian attacks on Ukraine sharply escalated.

This week, Moscow acknowledged that “momentum toward a peace deal has largely vanished.”