Russia launched its biggest mass attack on Ukraine’s energy system this year overnight into November 3, 2026, hitting substations, transmission systems and power plants across 10 oblasts and cutting power to households nationwide.
Drones and missiles
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia used 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles. Ukrenergo CEO Vitalii Zaichenko said it was one of the largest waves of ballistic missiles aimed at critical infrastructure, alongside cruise missiles and jet- and propeller-powered drones.
Nuclear risk
Shmyhal said three drones targeted a substation critical for the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Three thermal plants halted
DTEK said generation stopped at three of its thermal power plants and grid infrastructure was damaged in Odesa Oblast. “It is clear Russia is dangerously escalating its efforts to deny Ukrainians critical services like energy this winter,” CEO Maxim Timchenko said.
Outages across the country
The Energy Ministry reported extensive damage in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr and Kharkiv oblasts. Outages were imposed in Kyiv and the surrounding region, as well as in Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy and Kharkiv oblasts. Kyiv later faced emergency power cuts and widespread water outages.
Sources
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