KYIV, Ukraine | September 30, 2026
Russia launched a heavy overnight missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv region on September 30, killing four people, including a child, and targeting power infrastructure ahead of winter, Ukrainian officials said.
Russia targets Kyiv power infrastructure ahead of winter
Russia launched a heavy overnight missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s Kyiv region on Wednesday, September 30, killing four people, including a child, and damaging energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.
The attack caused power outages across parts of the capital and surrounding areas. Authorities also reported damage in several civilian districts of Kyiv, while emergency teams worked at damaged residential sites.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said the barrage was the first large combined attack on energy facilities since the end of the last heating season. He said Russian strikes on energy infrastructure had continued through the summer.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said energy facilities in Kyiv and the surrounding region were the main targets. He described the assault as difficult and called for stronger air-defence support as Ukraine prepares for winter.
In Vyshhorod, a city in the wider Kyiv region, a boy was killed when a private house was struck, according to regional military administrator Tymur Tkachenko. Three other people were rescued from the rubble. Three more people were killed in Kyiv, while at least four were wounded, officials said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had hit a hydroelectric plant, a thermal power plant, an electricity substation, an energy-storage facility and a data centre. Ukrainian authorities confirmed damage to civilian areas and power infrastructure but did not confirm all of Moscow’s stated targets.
The latest barrage follows weeks of intensified Russian aerial attacks on Kyiv and nearby areas. Ukrainian officials say the strikes are placing additional pressure on air defences and raising concern over electricity, heating and water supplies as temperatures fall.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia had used large numbers of jet-powered drones alongside ballistic and cruise missiles. Officials said more than 3,000 such drones had been launched against Ukraine during September, exceeding the previous month’s total.
Ukraine seeks stronger air defence
The attacks come as Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart over efforts to halt the war. Ukrainian officials say Russia is continuing strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure, while the Kremlin has called for a broader settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Ukraine’s government has repeatedly sought additional air-defence missiles, particularly to counter ballistic missiles and protect power facilities. Zelenskyy said support from foreign partners would be increasingly important as winter approaches.
Why the energy attacks matter
The September 30 attack is expected to increase pressure on Ukraine’s electricity network at the start of the heating season. Damage to power plants, substations and other facilities can disrupt electricity supplies and affect heating and water services in cities far from the immediate strike sites.
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