Russian strikes knock out power to 280,000 Ukrainian households

Russian strikes on 30 October damaged combined heat and power plants, four electrical substations, gas distribution hubs and railway infrastructure across northern, central and eastern Ukraine, leaving roughly 280,000 families without electricity, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday.

Some 200,000 households lost power in the city of Dnipro and the wider Dnipropetrovsk region after four substations were struck in a single night. In Kyiv region, more than 80,000 households were cut from the grid. A drone strike also hit a combined heat and power plant in Shostka toward morning.

Beyond electricity infrastructure, Russian munitions struck railway lines in Dnipro and Kharkiv, disrupting passenger and freight movement. A natural gas distribution facility in Dnipropetrovsk region was also hit, raising concerns over fuel supplies for municipal heating networks.

Zelensky said emergency repair teams had been deployed to restore supply and clear debris. He called on international partners to act, saying Russia makes civilian infrastructure a daily target and that strong steps — including sanctions and new support packages — are needed.