1.5 Million Ukrainians Without Power After Russian Missile Strikes Using Cluster Munitions on Civilian Infrastructure

Nearly 1.5 million Ukrainians were left without electricity following Russia's massive combined attack early on November 28. The situation is most dire in the western regions of the country.

This marks the Russian Federation's 11th large-scale assault on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure in 2024, according to the Ministry of Energy.

“Energy workers are actively implementing backup power supply schemes where possible. Restoration efforts have already begun in areas where the security situation permits. The assessment of damage extent is ongoing,” the statement reads.

During the massive attack, Russian forces used Kalibr missiles equipped with cluster munitions.

“Several regions reported Kalibr missile strikes with cluster munitions, deliberately aimed at civilian infrastructure. The use of these cluster elements significantly complicates the work of our rescuers and power engineers in mitigating the damage, marking yet another vile escalation in Russia’s terrorist tactics,“ wrote Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the Ukrainian Air Forces, 75 cruise missiles, 3 guided aviation missiles, and 35 Russian UAVs were shot down. Additionally, 62 drones were lost from radar detection.

In total, the Air Force's radio-technical troops identified 188 aerial threats, which primarily targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

In Lviv region, the attack left 523,000 consumers without power, while in Rivne region, over 280,000 were affected, and in Volyn region, approximately 215,000 remain without electricity.

In Rivne, schools are switching to remote learning due to the attack. The city and the region are also experiencing water supply disruptions.

Critical infrastructure was also targeted in Ivano Frankivsk, Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and other regions.