Preventive power cuts introduced in Ukraine following massive Russian missile attack

Russia launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine on Wednesday. (Courtesy: Reuters file photo)

Russia launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine on Wednesday, forcing the country to introduce preventive power cuts, the Ukrainian energy minister said.

"The enemy continues to terrorise Ukrainians," Herman Halushchenko wrote on Facebook, urging residents to stay in shelters during the ongoing threat and follow official updates.

The state energy company Ukrenergo reported emergency power outages in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kirovohrad regions.

Russian forces launched missile strikes targeting energy infrastructure in the western Lviv region early Wednesday, said the city's mayor, Andrii Sadovyi.

"During the morning attack, enemy cruise missiles were recorded in the region," he said.

No casualties or damage were reported.

Ukraine's air force detected multiple missile groups launched by Russia during a nationwide air-raid alert, though initial reports indicated no damage.