During the night, Russia carried out massive missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure, with a particular focus on hydroelectric power plants along the Dnipro River. The raids came after Ukrainian forces attacked, on the previous evening, a chemical plant in Bryansk, a power station in Smolensk, and a mechanical factory in Saransk (Mordovia). This morning, long-range Ukrainian drones also hit the Dagnotekh refinery in Makhachkala (Dagestan).

The Ukrainian attack began late last night, involving both long-range drones and missiles. According to Kyiv’s Armed Forces, STORM SHADOW cruise missiles were also employed, though imagery suggests the use of the PEKLO drone/missile instead. Ukraine’s General Staff reported the participation of the Air Force (presumably launching STORM SHADOW), the Army (possibly using HIMARS), and the Navy (hinting at the potential employment of NEPTUNE missiles). In Bryansk, besides the chemical facility supporting Russia’s defence industry, a substation in Trubchevsk was also hit.

Russia’s response was massive, involving over 20 missiles - including at least 10 ISKANDER-M ballistic missiles, around 10 ISKANDER-K cruise missiles, and 2–4 KINZHAL aero-ballistic missiles - along with hundreds of GERAN-2 drones (over 400, according to the Ukrainian Air Force) launched against targets across Ukraine, primarily linked to the national power grid.

In Kyiv, several ISKANDER-M ballistic missiles struck the CHP-5 combined heat and power plant (pictured, south of the city) and possibly also the CHP-6 plant (in Troieschyna, northeast Kyiv). At least one ISKANDER-M was reportedly intercepted by a PATRIOT battery over the capital. Nearly all hydroelectric plants along the Dnipro were targeted: Kaniv (Cherkasy Oblast, possibly with 1–2 KINZHALs), Kremenchuk (Poltava Oblast), Kamianske (Dnipro Oblast), and Zaporizhzhia. At present, it remains unclear which facilities were effectively hit and to what extent they were damaged.

Several electrical substations were also attacked, most likely by GERAN-2 drones: one in Brovary (east of Kyiv), one in Izmail (on the Danube, near the Romanian border), and another in Karlivka (Poltava Oblast), the latter connected to the railway network.

According to Ukrenergo, the state-owned grid operator, widespread blackouts were reported - including in Kyiv and Dnipro - and scheduled power outages will be necessary in the coming days to repair the damage. Among the regions expected to be most affected are the northeastern oblasts of Sumy and Chernihiv, where during the night 2 substations in Koryukivka and Novhorod-Sivers’kyi (both roughly 35–40 km from the Russian border) were hit and damaged.

The Russian campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure thus continues. After focusing on the gas sector, Moscow has again shifted its attention - since October - to the electric grid, following the same pattern started during the winter of 2022.

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