Kyiv erupted in chaos as Russian forces unleashed a massive barrage on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure late Friday into Saturday. President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that over 400 drones and approximately 40 missiles targeted critical power grids, electricity plants, and distribution substations across multiple regions.
In a stark post on X accompanied by harrowing images of destruction, Zelensky condemned Moscow’s choice of aggression over diplomacy. ‘Every day, Russia could choose diplomacy, but it opts for new attacks instead,’ he wrote. ‘Everyone supporting trilateral talks must respond to this. We must strip Moscow of its ability to weaponize winter against Ukraine.’
The assaults struck hard in Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Rivne regions, with reports of an apartment building damaged in Rivne. In Vinnytsia region’s Ladyzhyn, a drone slammed into the administrative building of a local agricultural college. Kyiv and Kharkiv areas also faced strikes, with air defense operations still active in some spots.
Zelensky assured the public that repair and defense efforts are underway at affected sites, prioritizing safety amid the ongoing threat. This comes just days after U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on February 4-5, where both sides agreed to a major prisoner swap—releasing 157 individuals each, including soldiers and civilians—the first in nearly five months.
However, core issues like territorial disputes, ceasefire terms, and security guarantees saw no progress. Ukraine’s delegation pushed for ‘honorable and lasting peace,’ but no joint statements emerged, highlighting deep divisions. As winter grips the nation, these energy attacks threaten to plunge millions into darkness, escalating the humanitarian crisis in the protracted conflict.