Russia strikes substation vital to Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant, Ukraine says
Three of 289 drones launched in a mass overnight attack targeted a substation critical to Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant, the energy minister says.
Russia directed three drones at a substation critical to the operation of Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant during a mass overnight attack, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday.
Speaking to G7 and EU ambassadors, Shmyhal said the strike on the substation was a serious escalation that put the safety of nuclear plants not just in Ukraine but across Europe at risk, and that his government had already notified the . He said Russia launched 289 drones, 17 and 59 across Ukraine in the same overnight barrage, with energy sites once again the main target, and urged international partners to respond.
The Khmelnytskyi plant, in western Ukraine, runs two working reactors producing roughly 2,000 megawatts between them; two further reactors begun in Soviet times were never finished. Ukrainian-held nuclear stations have not themselves been struck in the recent wave of attacks, but the substations and transmission lines that feed their power into the grid have repeatedly come under fire, the Kyiv Post reported.
State grid operator Ukrenergo called the overnight barrage one of the heaviest yet against the energy sector, saying its sites had come under fire more than twenty times within a single day and that it had ordered emergency blackouts in several regions, including Kyiv. Private operator said separately that three of its thermal power stations had been knocked out completely.
Repair crews numbering in the thousands have been working since the strikes to assess the damage and restore supply, giving priority to critical infrastructure, the Kyiv Post reported. Parts of the country also lost running water after facilities that depend on electricity went down.
The strikes came as Ukraine heads into its fifth winter since the full-scale invasion began, with officials warning that Moscow plans to step up pressure on critical infrastructure. A recent United Nations report said the pattern of strikes on energy facilities could amount to crimes against humanity.
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What we know
- Russia directed three drones at a substation vital to the Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant during an overnight attack, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
- The attack involved 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across Ukraine, targeting energy facilities nationwide.
- Shmyhal said Kyiv has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the threat to nuclear safety.
- Ukrenergo said its facilities were targeted more than 20 times in 24 hours and introduced emergency blackouts, including in Kyiv.
- DTEK said three of its thermal power plants were taken fully out of operation.
- Nuclear plants have not been struck directly, but substations carrying their power into the grid have repeatedly been hit.
Why it matters for Europe
With Russian strikes having damaged much of Ukraine's coal, gas and hydroelectric capacity, nuclear plants now supply a larger share of the country's electricity, making the substations that connect them to the grid a critical vulnerability. A UN report has said Russia's campaign against energy infrastructure could amount to crimes against humanity, and officials warn of a repeat of the severe blackouts of winter 2025-26 as the war enters its fifth winter.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What was targeted near the Khmelnytskyi plant?
- Three drones were directed at a substation critical to the plant's stable operation, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
- How big was the wider attack?
- Russia launched 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across Ukraine, mainly targeting energy facilities, Shmyhal said.
- What has Ukraine told international bodies?
- It has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the threat the strikes pose to nuclear safety, Shmyhal said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.