Flames and smoke rise over Lviv after Russian missile strikes targeted civilian infrastructure overnight.
Intense overnight strikes and drone attacks by Russian forces have killed at least five people and left tens of thousands without electricity across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.
Among the victims were four members of one family, including a 15-year-old girl, killed in Lapaivka village in the Lviv region. Another person died in Zaporizhzhia, where strikes on a power plant cut electricity for over 73,000 households.
Zelensky reported that Russia launched more than 50 missiles and around 500 drones, marking one of the largest assaults in recent months. The Ukrainian Air Force recorded 549 aerial attacks targeting multiple regions, including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad.
Officials say the strikes are part of Russia’s ongoing strategy to cripple Ukraine’s energy grid and sow instability as winter approaches.
“These attacks are especially cynical as Ukrainians prepare for winter,” Zelensky said, urging faster delivery of promised air defense systems.
Regional head
Regional head Maksym Kozytskyi described the assault as the largest on Lviv since the full-scale invasion began. He said 163 missiles and drones struck residential areas, hospitals, industrial facilities, and gas infrastructure.
Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, confirmed that parts of the city, about 70 km from the Polish border — lost power for several hours, disrupting public transport.
Emergency power cuts were also reported in Chernihiv and Sumy, while several civilians, including a 16-year-old girl, were injured in Zaporizhzhia.
Ukraine’s Air Force
Ukraine’s Air Force said it intercepted 478 of the missiles and drones, though six struck 20 critical locations nationwide.
The attacks came shortly after U.S. assurances allowing Ukraine to conduct deeper strikes into Russian territory. Washington’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, stated there are “no sanctuaries” for Russian targets.
In response, Zelensky renewed calls for faster defense support, saying that air superiority remains vital to Ukraine’s survival and the protection of its people.
Russia’s Defense
Russia’s Defense Ministry described the strikes as “massive” and targeted at Ukrainian military and infrastructure facilities.
State-run RIA News reported that Russian air defenses destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Analysis: Escalating Energy War
The latest wave of attacks underscores Ukraine’s vulnerability to energy disruptions and the strategic focus of Russia on crippling civilian infrastructure.
Observers warn that without stronger air defenses and international support, millions could face blackouts in freezing temperatures this winter.
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