August M
A sweeping Russian drone and missile attack has left Ukraine’s capital struggling to keep the lights on.
With temperatures deep below freezing, officials warn that Kyiv residents may have electricity for only a few hours a day in February.
Massive overnight barrage
According to reporting by the Kyiv Post, Russia launched more than 450 drones and about 70 missiles overnight on Tuesday-Wednesday, striking Kyiv and other cities.
At least nine people were injured and thousands of buildings lost power as temperatures fell below -20°C (-4°F).
Ukraine’s Air Force said air defenses intercepted 450 aerial targets, including 38 missiles and 412 drones.
Ceasefire dispute
The assault followed confusion over a proposed temporary pause in attacks.
US President Donald Trump said he had urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt strikes on Kyiv and “various towns” for a week because of the severe cold.
“He agreed to do that. And I have to tell you it was very nice,” Trump told reporters.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later said the ceasefire would last only until Sunday. Ukraine has maintained it should have remained in place longer.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using de-escalation proposals as a tactical break before launching fresh strikes during the cold spell.
Grid infrastructure damaged
As detailed by the Kyiv Post, the bombardment severely damaged key parts of Ukraine’s energy system, worsening electricity shortages in the capital.
Stanislav Ihnatiev, head of the Board of the Ukrainian Renewable Energy Association, told Ukrainian outlet Telegraf that the strike was the largest on the energy network since the start of the year.
He said Kyiv is expected to have just four to six hours of electricity daily in February due to the scale of the destruction.
Ihnatiev said major transmission facilities, including the “Vinnytsia 550” and “Kyivska 750” substations, were hit. Damage at that voltage level disrupts long-distance electricity flows and affects the stability of the unified grid.
Heating under pressure
Two major combined heat and power plants serving Kyiv were also badly damaged, reducing both electricity generation and district heating capacity.
Energy officials warned that repairing ultra-high-voltage infrastructure is complex and could take months, as some equipment must be specially manufactured.
They said blackout schedules reflect technical constraints within the damaged system rather than a blanket decision to ration electricity evenly across the city.
Source: Reporting by Kyiv Post; Telegraf; Ukrainian Air Force.
