Russia carried out a mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Feb. 7, triggering emergency power outages across most regions, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The strike hit key elements of Ukraine’s power grid as freezing temperatures returned, with Kyiv forecast to see temperatures drop to –19 degrees Celsius (–2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the coming days, compounding pressure on the energy system.
Shmyhal said Russian forces targeted high-voltage substations and 750-kilovolt and 330-kilovolt overhead transmission lines that form the backbone of Ukraine’s electricity network.
Power generation facilities were also struck, including the Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants in western Ukraine.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said equipment at its thermal power plants suffered “significant damage,” calling the strike Moscow’s 220th attack on thermal generation facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Attacks were reported across the country, including in western regions. The Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv oblasts all came under fire, according to Ukrainian officials.
As of Feb. 7, emergency power outage schedules of up to 4.5–5 stages were in effect nationwide, with additional emergency measures imposed in eastern and northern regions, Shmyhal said.
Ukraine’s grid operator Ukrenergo also requested emergency electricity assistance from Poland, though no further details were provided.
“Energy workers are ready to begin restoration as soon as the situation allows,” Shmyhal said.
Since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s power plants, substations, and transmission lines, causing repeated blackouts across the country.
The latest strike comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war continue, with Moscow intensifying attacks on civilian energy infrastructure in what Ukrainian officials describe as an attempt to pressure Kyiv into accepting Russia’s maximalist demands in peace talks.
Ukrainian authorities have warned the energy situation remains “extremely serious,” while the Security Service of Ukraine has said the continued targeting of civilian power facilities amounts to crimes against humanity.