Ukraine's power grid under 'massive attack' from Russia as frozen temperatures set in

Russia launched cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, leaving 700,000 homes and businesses without power amid frozen temperatures.

KYIV, Ukraine — More than 700,000 homes and businesses were without power across a frigid Ukraine early Thursday after Russia launched a widespread missile and drone attack on the country’s energy sector.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the “complex strike” was a retaliation for Ukraine using American-made ATACMS missiles to strike inside Russia. Despite the widespread civilian impact, he claimed, without evidence, that the assault targeted military sites.

Air raid sirens began to ring out late Wednesday night and blared for more than nine hours. People across the country took refuge in bomb shelters, subway stations and even their own bathrooms, waiting out the bombardment alongside strollers, pets and what little blankets they could carry.

Targeting the power grid comes just as cold weather begins to bite, a tactic that Ukrainian officials and Western analysts say Russia deliberately deploys. The temperature is forecast to stay below 35 degrees Fahrenheit all of Thursday, with fog in the air and snow already covering Kyiv’s roofs.

The physical discomfort of these outages is compounded by the uncertainty of President-elect Donald Trump’s looming inauguration Jan. 20. His reluctance to commit support for Ukraine brings a huge degree of uncertainty to the conflict, just as Russia is making its fastest battlefield gains since the early days of the 2022 invasion.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukraine-russia-power-grid-attack-frozen-temperature-rcna182122

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