'Dozens injured': Russian drone strikes kill two in Ukraine; power outages spread amid winter freeze

Two people were killed and dozens injured in overnight Russian drone strikes across Ukraine, with attacks on energy infrastructure triggering widespread power outages amid freezing winter temperatures, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 200 drones in attacks that targeted the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Khmelnytskyi and Odesa regions. The strikes damaged critical infrastructure and left thousands without electricity and heating.


“Dozens of people have been injured, including a child. As of now, two people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” Zelenskyy said.

He warned that the strain on Ukraine’s energy system remains severe as Russian attacks continue almost daily. “The situation in the energy system remains difficult, but we are doing everything we can to restore all services as quickly as possible,” he wrote, adding: “This week alone has seen more than 1,300 attack drones, around 1,050 guided aerial bombs and 29 missiles of various types in total.”

Zelenskyy praised emergency repair crews working to restore power, heating and water supplies in harsh winter conditions, and renewed his call for stronger international support. “That is why Ukraine still needs more protection - above all, more missiles for air defense systems. If Russia is deliberately dragging out the diplomatic process, the world's response must be decisive: more assistance for Ukraine and more pressure on the aggressor.”

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 201 drones overnight from Saturday to Sunday, with 167 intercepted. Russian authorities, meanwhile, said 63 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight.

In Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, Moscow-installed officials reported significant power outages following Ukrainian strikes. Yevgeny Balitsky, the Moscow-installed governor of Zaporizhia, said an attack on energy infrastructure left 213,000 customers and 386 localities without electricity. In neighbouring Kherson, Vladimir Saldo said a Ukrainian strike hit an electrical substation, cutting power to 14 towns and 450 villages, though he later said supplies had been restored.

The latest attacks came as Ukrainian negotiators arrived in the United States for talks with President Donald Trump’s administration on steps towards ending the nearly four-year war. According to Al Jazeera, discussions are expected to focus on security guarantees and post-war recovery, with a draft 20-point peace proposal prepared by Kyiv and Washington. Russia has yet to comment.

The renewed bombardment has deepened Ukraine’s winter energy crisis, with the damaged power grid reportedly meeting only 60 per cent of national demand. Exceptionally cold temperatures have compounded the impact, leaving families struggling to keep warm.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, repeated winter attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have drawn condemnation from the United Nations and other observers, who warn that children and elderly people remain the most vulnerable.