Russian missiles and drones battered Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with yet another overnight attack. Strikes continued into Saturday morning, primarily targeting the country’s western regions, forcing emergency power outages across most of the country.
According to Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned electricity transmission operator, the ongoing assault has hit key energy facilities nationwide, prompting emergency shutdowns as repair crews remain unable to begin work while the strikes continue.
The governor of the Ivano-Frankivsk region said an energy plant was hit, with debris damaging homes near Halych and Rohatyn.
Emergency outages across most regions
Ukrenergo warned that Russia was carrying out “another massive attack” on Ukraine’s energy system, stressing that emergency outages had been implemented in the majority of regions due to damage caused by the strikes.
The operator said the attack was still ongoing and that restoration work would begin only once the security situation allowed. Previously published hourly outage schedules were temporarily suspended, with emergency restrictions to remain in place until the grid stabilizes.
Consumers were urged to follow official updates from regional electricity providers.
Kyiv region hit, schedules suspended
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said emergency power outages were in effect in the Kyiv region following damage to energy facilities.
The company emphasized that during emergency shutdowns, standard outage schedules do not apply, urging residents to remain patient as grid operators work under wartime conditions.
Attacks compound winter energy crisis
The latest strikes come during what Ukrainian officials and analysts describe as the coldest and most difficult winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, with Moscow repeatedly targeting power infrastructure at moments of peak demand.
Russian forces have increasingly employed so-called “double-tap strikes,” hitting energy sites again as technicians and emergency crews arrive, significantly complicating immediate repairs and increasing risks to workers.
During an overnight attack on Feb. 3, Russia carried out its largest strike on Ukraine’s energy system since the beginning of the year, dealing severe damage to combined heat-and-power plants and high-voltage substations.
Electricity shortages expected to persist
As a result of sustained attacks, Kyiv is expected to receive only four to six hours of electricity per day throughout February, according to earlier assessments by energy officials, as authorities struggle to stabilize heat and power supplies amid freezing temperatures.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that Russia’s systematic targeting of energy infrastructure during extreme cold is aimed at maximizing civilian hardship, even as repair crews continue working under constant threat.