Russia launches its largest energy assault on Ukraine since spring, killing at least seven including a child

From the Newshound archive · first published 30 September 2026.

Russia's overnight bombardment of Ukraine's power grid involved nearly 190 drones and ballistic missiles, hitting multiple targets including the Trypilska thermal power plant — the largest electricity supplier to Kyiv. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi called it the most severe combined strike on energy infrastructure since the end of last winter's heating season. The attacks killed seven people across the country, including a child in the Kyiv region; 11 regions were struck and thousands of homes lost electricity. Air defences intercepted five missiles and 155 drones, yet thick smoke blanketed Kyiv by morning.

Koretskyi warned that Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have been almost continuous since summer, but said no attack of this scale had occurred since spring.

President Zelensky confirmed that critical infrastructure was struck in five regions, with further damage reported across five more; some households in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk remained without power on Wednesday.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said wreckage from the strikes landed at a western embassy in the capital.