Russian strikes leave over a million without heat and water in Ukraine

More than one million people in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region have been left without heating and reliable water supplies after heavy Russian drone and missile strikes damaged critical energy infrastructure, officials said on Thursday. The overnight assault, which also cut electricity in neighbouring Zaporizhzhia, came amid freezing winter temperatures, compounding the hardship for civilians already enduring nearly four years of conflict.

Ukraine’s Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said repair crews were working around the clock to restore services for “over a million subscribers” in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where temperatures dipped below freezing. The prolonged outages have affected heating systems that depend on electric power and water pumping stations, leaving residents in the cold and without running water.

The Ukrainian air force reported that Russian forces launched 97 drones overnight, with air defences managing to down 70; the remaining 27 struck various targets, primarily energy facilities. In the Zaporizhzhia region, electricity has since been restored to key facilities but most households remain without power, officials said.

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Targeting civilian infrastructure in winter

The blackouts highlight a broader pattern of winter energy infrastructure attacks that Kyiv and its Western allies describe as a deliberate Russian strategy aimed at inflicting suffering on civilians and eroding morale. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid and heating systems during cold months, exploiting the seasonal demand for electricity and heat to worsen humanitarian conditions.

Local authorities in Dnipro, the largest city in Dnipropetrovsk reported widespread outages that also disrupted mobile communications and internet services, making daily life even more difficult. Regional leaders urged residents to stock up on water and prepare for extended outages, while emergency shelters known as “Points of Invincibility,” offering heat and water, were deployed to assist vulnerable populations.

The impact on public services has been severe: hospitals have switched to backup generators to remain operational, and schools in some areas extended holidays due to the lack of heating and electricity. Eight coal mines were also forced to halt operations, though workers were safely evacuated, officials said.

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Kyiv’s response and international implications

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as lacking “any military rationale,” accusing Russia of targeting civilians during winter to weaken Ukraine’s resolve. Kyiv has responded to the ongoing attacks on its energy grid with counter-strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries, seeking to disrupt Moscow’s energy export revenues and pressure Russia economically.

The intensification of energy infrastructure attacks comes amid broader diplomatic efforts to shape Ukraine’s future security arrangements, including discussions with Western allies on long-term guarantees and peace negotiations. However, the immediate priority for Ukrainian authorities remains restoring critical utilities and averting a deeper humanitarian crisis as winter conditions persist.

Humanitarian strain deepens

With winter weather expected to worsen, the outages pose additional health and safety risks, particularly for the elderly, children and individuals with medical needs. Repair crews face challenging conditions as they work to bring heat, water and power back to affected communities, highlighting the ongoing toll of the conflict on civilian infrastructure and everyday life in Ukraine.