Russian strikes on energy facilities in southern Ukraine forced large portions of Odesa’s critical infrastructure onto backup power overnight, Ukrainian officials said early Sunday.
“The enemy continues to deliberately strike civilian infrastructure in the southern part of the Odesa region,” Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, wrote on Telegram.
Kiper said attack drones damaged multiple energy sites, including a solar power plant, despite “active air defense efforts.” Emergency crews extinguished several fires triggered by the strikes, and no casualties were reported.
“Resilience points have been deployed in the affected area,” he added, noting that life-support services and essential facilities were switched to reserve power sources.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry confirmed a “power outage” in Odesa due to the attacks.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched one ballistic missile and 176 attack drones overnight, 139 of which were shot down or suppressed. Thirty-seven drones struck targets across 14 locations.
Moscow has intensified its campaign against Ukraine’s power grid as winter approaches, repeating tactics used throughout its full-scale invasion to degrade the country’s energy system.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is working with Western partners to strengthen air defenses and secure additional energy supplies.
“We have prepared new strong agreements with Europe to significantly strengthen our air defense, our resilience, and our diplomacy,” he wrote on Telegram.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has arranged financing to cover nearly €2 billion in gas imports to offset production losses caused by Russian strikes. He announced a new gas agreement with Greece and said Kyiv is working with partners in the EU, the United States, Norway, Poland and Azerbaijan to secure additional supplies.
On Saturday, the president outlined “winter support” measures, including fixed household electricity and gas prices, funding for gas imports, and building reserves of equipment needed to repair damaged infrastructure.
