Russia continued its overnight attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure between Sunday and Monday, while Kyiv accelerated efforts to redirect electricity from western nuclear power plants to heavily affected eastern regions.
This winter, Russia has openly pursued a strategy of targeting Ukraine’s already damaged power grid, including power plants and district heating facilities that supply heating and hot water to large portions of Kyiv and other major cities.
Odesa and Kharkiv Hit by New Attacks
In early Monday strikes, Odesa region was hit, damaging energy and gas infrastructure, with at least one person injured, according to regional authorities.
Odesa regional military administration head Oleh Kiper confirmed that a drone struck a multi-story residential building in the city.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported that a key energy facility in Odesa was significantly damaged, leaving nearly 40,000 households without electricity.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Russian forces struck a critical infrastructure facility with four missiles, causing serious damage, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
Severe Winter Conditions Deepen the Crisis
In Kyiv, utility crews continue working to restore heating following a January 9 attack on the capital.
Mayor Vitalii Klitschko described the situation as extremely challenging, citing temperatures dropping to minus 20°C, ongoing emergency power outages, and a state of emergency still in effect.
Kyiv Focuses on Power Redistribution
Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal announced plans to repair and expand transmission networks to improve the flow of electricity from western Ukraine to eastern regions, where shortages are most severe.
“These measures will reduce the duration of power outages in the most affected areas,” Shmyhal said in a Telegram post.
Ukraine’s three operational nuclear power plants, which provide most of the country’s electricity, are located in the west, while thermal power plants in the east have been nearly destroyed.
Warnings of Further Escalation
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warned that Russian forces may be preparing long-range strikes on substations supplying nuclear power plants.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that intelligence shows Russia is conducting reconnaissance for future attacks, underscoring that diplomacy is not Moscow’s priority.
“If Russia truly wanted to end the war, it would focus on diplomacy — not missile strikes, blackouts, or attempts to damage our nuclear facilities,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claims it is targeting energy infrastructure allegedly used by the Ukrainian military.
Data indicates that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy and gas infrastructure intensified in autumn 2025, deliberately disrupting supplies during the heating season.
