Russia carries out 78 targeted strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in three days
Russian forces carried out 78 targeted strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure over three days, seriously damaging facilities and causing new outages. The attacks prompted wider network restrictions and scheduled electricity cuts, while Ukraine was forced to reduce nuclear-power generation. The UN commission described the strikes as deliberate and part of a policy to deprive civilians of essential energy resources.
Key points
- Russian forces carried out 78 targeted strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure over three days.
- Electricity-generating stations and power-transmission facilities were targeted.
- New outages were recorded in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions.
- Most Ukrainian regions used scheduled electricity cuts for consumers and power limits for industry.
- The November 3 attack was among the largest strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in the current campaign.
- Three drones targeted a substation critical to the stable operation of the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant.
- Ukraine reduced nuclear-power generation on November 4 following systematic attacks on nuclear infrastructure.
Why it matters
The strikes caused serious damage that will require substantial time and resources to repair, disrupted electricity supplies across several regions and increased pressure on Ukraine's energy system ahead of the heating season. An attack on infrastructure important to the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant was followed by reduced nuclear generation. The UN commission characterized the attacks as deliberate state policy aimed at depriving civilians of essential energy resources and linked them to crimes against humanity.
What happened
From November 2, Russian forces carried out 78 targeted strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure over three days. The targets included power stations and transmission facilities, and the attacks caused serious damage. New outages were recorded on the morning after the shelling in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions. Significant equipment damage led to network restrictions in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, while most regions used hourly electricity-outage schedules for consumers and power limits for industry.
The November 3 attack was one of the largest of the current campaign, targeting electricity stations and transmission and distribution substations. Three drones were directed at a substation critical to the stable operation of the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant. On November 4, Ukraine had to reduce generating capacity because of large-scale and systematic attacks on nuclear-energy infrastructure.
The Ministry of Energy said Russia had changed its tactics and was targeting objects critical to the energy system's operation. Damage forced dispatchers to isolate affected network sections to prevent technological accidents. Energy workers are restoring equipment around the clock, although air-raid alerts and the threat of renewed strikes can delay repairs.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the frequency and scale of the strikes, damage to critical generation and transmission assets, outages across regions and the difficulties facing repair crews. It also highlights the civilian consequences and relies on the UN commission's findings that attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure constitute deliberate policy and crimes against humanity.
Background
Russia began the current campaign against Ukraine's energy infrastructure in late September 2026, ahead of the heating season. Ukraine's energy system has operated under repeated attacks for a fifth year, and 11 large-scale attacks on the energy system were recorded in 2022. During the winter of 2025–2026, residents experienced prolonged interruptions to heating, electricity and water during severe cold. The UN commission said the worsening attacks affect civilians' physical and mental health and the operation of hospitals.