Ukrainian Power Outages Follow ‘Massive’ Russian Attack on Electric Grid

Latest Developments

• ‘Zero’ Generating Capacity: Russia launched what was described as the “most massive strike” against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since its unprovoked invasion in 2022, causing power outages and electricity rationing throughout the eastern European country. Ukraine’s state power company stated on November 8 that its generating capacity was down to “zero” following Russian strikes on two of its thermal power plants. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the attack included 458 drones and 45 missiles launched towards Ukraine between November 7-8, of which 26 missiles and 52 drones hit 25 locations in four regions.
• Zelenskyy Calls for More Air Defense Systems: Electricity is being rationed across Ukraine, with scheduled power outages in Kyiv lasting 10-12 hours a day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his government was working to purchase more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems. “Only a few systems in the world are capable of intercepting such missiles effectively — and to protect our entire territory, we need far more of these systems and far more of the missiles for them,” he stated. At least seven Ukrainians were reported killed by the strikes: three people in an apartment building in Dnipro that injured 12 others; three people in the city of Zaporizhzhia; and one person in Kharkiv.
• More Sanctions Needed: The strikes on energy infrastructure came as temperatures in Ukraine dropped to near-freezing levels ahead of winter. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes targeted “gas and energy facilities of Ukraine that supported [Ukrainian military] operations.” Zelenskyy emphasized that more sanctions were needed to “deprive Russia of the means to continue the war it started and keeps prolonging.” He added that “no exceptions” to Russian energy sanctions should be allowed, such as those granted by the White House to Hungary on November 8, which will allow it to continue purchasing Russian oil.

FDD Expert Response

“To the extent U.S. companies can play a role in providing emergency contingencies, Europe should help Ukraine finance those solutions immediately — the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council can certainly support that. In the meantime, this is as good a moment as any for President Trump to escalate our secondary sanctions on Russian natural gas alongside driving Putin’s oil exports toward zero. Such a move can be modulated to attack revenue immediately while baking in an accelerated transition to American liquified natural gas.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“This is the inevitable result of repeated illegal attacks by Russia on Ukraine’s electrical power grid. The appropriate U.S. response is to increase the rate at which we supply Ukraine with defensive munitions, such as Patriot and AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles) missiles, and APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) for drones. The United States should also provide Ukraine with up to 1,000 ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) rockets to place Russian forces and infrastructure at risk.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“As Aleksander Solzhenitsyn said, ‘How can you expect a man who’s warm to understand a man who’s cold?’ Russia’s barbarism is now on full display. The Kremlin’s strikes on infrastructure aim to deny Ukrainians power and heat, wagering that winter will finish what Russia’s soldiers cannot. As Ukraine’s innocents freeze, the White House must equip Kyiv to target the factories behind these savage attacks on innocent civilians with long-range munitions.” — Peter Doran, Adjunct Senior Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“Russia deploys new, longer-range bombs in war against Ukraine,” by John Hardie

“Russia announces plan to muster reservists to combat Ukrainian drones,” by John Hardie

“The Effectiveness of Trump’s New Russia Oil Sanctions Depends on Stringent Enforcement,” by Max Meizlish

“U.S. and EU Include Key Oil Companies in New Sanctions Targeting Russia,” FDD Flash Brief