Russian forces launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and its outskirts on Wednesday, killing at least four people and damaging the city's energy infrastructure, according to Ukrainian authorities. The overnight barrage, which lasted for hours, forced residents to shelter in metro stations and bomb shelters as explosions echoed across the capital.
Kyiv, home to roughly three million people, has endured several consecutive nights of aerial assaults, with daytime strikes also increasing. The escalation marks a worrying turn in a war that has now lasted more than four and a half years.
In Moscow, the defence ministry confirmed it had carried out "a massive missile and drone strike" targeting power infrastructure in and around Kyiv. Ukraine's main energy provider, DTEK, said the grid had been damaged and supplies disrupted. The company reported that its engineers had managed to restore electricity to 8,000 households, describing the night as "another difficult night for the capital."
Winter fears return
The timing of the attacks is particularly concerning. With temperatures expected to drop sharply in the coming months, ensuring a stable energy supply is critical. Last year, Russian strikes on the energy sector left many Ukrainians without light and heating as temperatures plunged to as low as -20°C. The prospect of a repeat has prompted many residents to consider whether to stay in the city, with officials urging the vulnerable and disabled to relocate to safer areas.
Wednesday's strikes hit residential buildings and businesses, sparking fires and causing widespread damage to property and vehicles. Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said a driver from the local utility firm KyivTeploEnergo was killed when a warehouse was hit, while two other people died elsewhere in the city. The emergency services reported that a child was found dead under the rubble of a destroyed residential building in the wider Kyiv region.
Russia has been deploying newer jet-powered drones that are faster and harder to intercept than the Iranian-designed Shahed models used earlier in the war. This technological shift adds another layer of difficulty for Ukraine's air defences.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly appealed to Ukraine's allies for more military support, particularly US-made interceptors capable of countering ballistic missiles. The latest attacks are likely to intensify those calls, as Ukraine seeks to protect its cities and critical infrastructure from further destruction.
The strikes come amid broader concerns about Europe's energy security. The EU's energy chief has warned of a harsh winter despite adequate supply levels, and the bloc is watching developments in Ukraine closely. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been urging the EU to seize Russian assets to help cover a projected €68 billion funding gap by 2027.
As the war grinds on, the resilience of Ukraine's energy grid and its people will be tested once again. The international community's response to these latest attacks will be crucial in determining whether Ukraine can withstand the coming months.
