Mass Russian missile barrage hits Ukraine power plants, killing 10 civilians

More than 200 missiles and drones hit key energy sites as expected winter barrage begins

Firefighters work at the site of a critical infrastructure facility hit by a Russian missile strike in Vinnytsia region, Ukraine

Russia launched its biggest missile barrage in months on Ukraine on Sunday as it seeks to cripple the country's energy resources over winter. Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa were all hit and 10 civilians killed as Poland scrambled fighter jets within its airspace as a precaution as a hail of cruise missiles and drones headed west in the early hours of Sunday.

An estimated 120 missiles and 90 drones were launched in a “massive combined strike on all regions of Ukraine”, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The country’s biggest private energy company Dtek reported that missile strikes on its thermal energy plants had caused “significant damage”.

As the overnight attack came in air defences could be heard engaging drones over Kyiv, followed by a series of powerful blasts. At least three civilians were killed in the barrage and the country suffered multiple blackouts.

It is thought Russia is attempting to put pressure on Ukraine with a widespread assault, which is currently costing Moscow 1,500 casualties per day, before US president-elect Donald Trump takes power. In an interview before the first major Russian missile attack since August, President Zelenskyy said he had had a “constructive exchange” with Mr Trump in which he “didn’t hear anything that goes against our position”.

“It is certain that the war will end sooner with the policies of the team that will now lead the White House,” he told the Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne. His comment suggest there may be a thaw in relations with Mr Trump, who has stated he would end the war “in one day” after taking office and criticised the sending of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine from the US. Further suggestions of moves towards a diplomatic solution came after the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, for the first time since late 2022.

However, the chances of peace are remote, as demonstrated by Russia’s missile assault, confirming what had been expected for weeks after the country hoarded its stockpiles to further demolish Ukraine’s struggling power grid. It is part of a strategy to cause blackouts to demoralise the population during the freezing winter, and to degrade Ukraine’s industrial output.

Poland scrambled its air force due to the "massive" Russian attack on Ukraine. Poland "activated all available forces and resources" and "on-duty fighter pairs were scrambled" with ground-based air defences and radar reconnaissance systems reaching the "highest state of readiness", its defence ministry stated on social media.