Russia Strikes Kyiv Energy Network, Cuts Heat and Power to Nearly 60% of Capital and Kills Man in Bucha

A massive overnight Russian strike targeting Ukraine’s energy network left Kyiv and surrounding regions with widespread power and heating outages, authorities said, and killed at least one man in Bucha.

“Russia launched a large drone and missile attack on Ukraine on Jan”

Al Jazeera

Ukraine reported hundreds of incoming weapons, including more than 300 combat drones and dozens of missiles, that struck substations and other infrastructure across multiple regions.

Al Jazeera

The attacks produced large-scale blackouts and forced tents and emergency shelters to be set up for residents as temperatures plunged.

Officials and local governors described damage to petrol stations and civilian infrastructure amid rolling outages affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.

The humanitarian impact was severe: in Kyiv alone roughly half the city’s housing blocks lost heating or power, prompting school closures, dimmed street lighting and mass displacement as residents sought warmth and safety.

Local officials said around 600,000 people fled the capital this month and many apartment blocks remained without water and heating amid subzero temperatures.

BBC

Tents and emergency shelters were erected for those left without utilities.

Children and families reported chronic fear and disrupted lives in coastal cities facing repeated drone and missile attacks.

Ukrainian leaders and Western officials used the strikes to press for more air-defence systems and munitions, warning that delayed deliveries and weak European‑U.S. unity could leave Ukraine vulnerable.

“Zelensky said repelling Monday night's attack had cost Ukraine about €80m (£69m) just in terms of air defence missiles A large Russian aerial strike on Ukraine has left the Ukrainian parliament and half of Kyiv's residential buildings without heating or power as temperatures across the country continue to hover around -10C”

BBC

President Volodymyr Zelensky told delegates at Davos and other forums that US-made systems were crucial and pressed allies for steady production and timely transfers.

Ukrainian officials said recent ammunition deliveries helped the response but that ballistic-missile protection still hinges on the United States.

In contrast, Moscow insisted its forces targeted military sites and blamed Ukraine for prolonging the war.

Citations:

The strikes carried acute nuclear-safety and energy-system risks.

Power to the defunct Chernobyl plant was briefly cut before being restored.

France 24

International monitors reported reconnections of transmission lines feeding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant amid warnings of further attacks on facilities supporting nuclear sites.

Media and analysts flagged the economic toll on both Russia and Ukraine, noting reduced Russian tax revenues from oil and gas as wider war costs interacted with energy-market shifts.

Reaction from Kyiv and the international community focused on urgent aid, renewed calls to strengthen air defences, and political fallout at diplomatic forums.

“The large-scale bombardment, which targeted energy facilities across the country, killed at least one person — a 50-year-old man — near Kyiv”

Free Malaysia Today

Ukrainian officials urged allies to buy U.S. missiles on Ukraine's behalf and to keep production steady.

Free Malaysia Today

Delegations in Davos and other meetings were pressed for concrete security guarantees and economic aid, even as Russia's envoy described talks as 'constructive' in some encounters.

Coverage tone varied: some outlets foregrounded political appeals and security needs, while others highlighted human suffering and moral condemnation of Russia's actions.