Russia strikes Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, threatens ‘catastrophic winter’

Russian forces have once again launched massive attacks on Ukraine, targeting civilian and critical energy infrastructure. Three civilians were killed, including a 7-year-old girl, and dozens more were injured, among them five children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported.

Over the past 24 hours, the occupiers launched 653 attack drones and 52 projectiles, including nine ballistic missiles. The strikes affected the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, Dnipro, Chernihiv, Sumy, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv.

“Many were shot down, but unfortunately, there have been hits,” Zelenskyy said.

Rescue operations were still ongoing as of noon on Oct. 30, with widespread damage to residential buildings. Most regions of Ukraine have experienced emergency power outages.

“Russia continues its terrorist war against life itself, and it’s crucial that every such vile attack on civilians boomerangs back on Russia with concrete consequences – sanctions and real pressure,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s second war-time president added that further measures are needed, including pressure on Russia’s oil and gas sector, its finances, and secondary sanctions on those who sponsor the war.

Meanwhile, the German newspaper Bild reports that Ukraine faces a “catastrophic” winter as Russian attacks aim to leave the country without heat and energy by deliberately striking power infrastructure.

More than half of Ukraine’s gas infrastructure has already been damaged. In just three days this month, Russian missiles struck parts of heat generation facilities and one Naftogaz site six times.

Bild said that the attacks continue with no signs of abating. Each new destruction makes winter preparation more difficult, and unnamed Ukrainian officials warn: “The coming winter will be the hardest.”