Russia targets Kyiv power supply as freezing winter approaches

Russia hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure in a wave of deadly drone and missile strikes on Wednesday, prompting an urgent call for emergency preparations as freezing winter approaches.

Kyiv said it was Moscow's opening salvo in an expected campaign to try to knock out heating and power as the temperature plunges -- a tactic it has deployed throughout the grinding conflict.

At least four people were killed in and around Kyiv, including a young child found under the rubble of a demolished residential building, after another night of continuous air raid red alerts and repeated blasts.

Three others were killed across the country, said President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited frontline troops and top commanders coordinating a fight-back against Russian forces in the east.

Across Kyiv, sirens screamed warning people to take cover in basement shelters and metro stations from ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as high-speed attack drones in the skies above.

In Moscow, Russia's defence ministry said it had conducted "a massive missile and drone strike" on Kyiv and the surrounding region that targeted the power infrastructure.

Ukraine's main energy provider DTEK confirmed that the grid was damaged and supplies to 8,000 households were affected. Engineers got the power back on, it said, but called it "another difficult night for the capital".

It later announced that emergency power outages had been implemented in Kyiv, without giving details on the number of people affected.

Generating equipment was also damaged at the Trypillia thermal power plant near Kyiv in a deliberate strike, said Sergiy Isachenko, the chief executive of the plant's operator PJSC Centrenergo.

Ukraine's weather service announced that the first overnight frosts were due in many parts of the country from Thursday.

Ensuring winter energy supply in Ukraine is critical. Russian strikes last year cut light and heating when temperatures fell to as low as -20C.

The prospect of a repeat has left many in Kyiv to consider whether to stay, alongside calls for the vulnerable and disabled people to relocate.

- 'Predictable' -

Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky said Russia had been hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure almost daily since the summer.

"However, such a large-scale combined attack has taken place for the first time since the end of the last heating season," he wrote on Telegram.

"It was predictable," Ivan Danylevych, a 22-year-old student, told AFP on the streets of Kyiv.

"Why are they doing it? To frighten people. Pure terror. To make people exhausted and willing to make concessions on military issues."

The increase in attacks has left many people in Kyiv glued to their mobile phones, scouring Telegram channels and apps that track the skies for signs of approaching drones or missiles.

But Tetiana Ivashchuk, a university worker, said only one thing helps her -- coffee.

"The main thing is to stay calm," she added. "We can't change what's happening now... God willing, everything will be fine."

- Back-up power -

Ukraine's energy system was already battered by previous attacks since the war began in February 2022 and the latest damage was being assessed, said Koretsky.

"Local authorities must check the readiness of back-up power systems for critical facilities in communities and complete all work on their installation and connection as quickly as possible," he added.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2024 issued arrest warrants for Russia's then military leaders over attacks on Ukraine's energy grid, saying they constituted a war crime that was causing "excessive harm" to civilians.

Wednesday's strikes hit residential buildings and businesses, sparking fires and widespread damage to property and cars, the authorities said.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said a driver at a local utility firm was killed when a warehouse was hit, while two others were killed elsewhere.

The emergency services said a child was found dead under the rubble of a residential building that was destroyed in the wider Kyiv region.

Russia has been deploying newer jet-powered drones that move faster and are harder to intercept than the traditional models, which are based on Iranian Shaheds.

Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to Ukraine's allies for more military support, including US-made interceptors against ballistic missiles.

But there is widespread concern about mounting civilian casualties on both sides, with an increase in long-range strikes and no progress on faltering peace talks.

burs-brw/rlp