Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as Zelenskyy travels to meet Trump

Russia hits Ukraine's gas sites as Zelenskyy flies to meet Trump

Russia launched a large-scale wave of drone and missile attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Thursday, hitting key gas facilities just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began his trip to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump.

The assault involved more than 300 attack drones and 37 missiles, including a significant number of ballistic missiles, targeting multiple regions across Ukraine.

President Zelenskyy confirmed the scale of the attacks on X, stating, “Russia launched more than 300 attack drones and 37 missiles, a significant number of them ballistic, against Ukraine.”

The attacks knocked out power in eight parts of the country and focused on gas sites in central and eastern Ukraine. Among the targeted facilities was the Shebelinka gas processing plant in the Kharkiv region, where large columns of black smoke and intense fires were visible after the strike.

Zelenskyy highlighted Moscow’s persistent strategy to undermine Ukraine’s energy system, noting, “This autumn, the Russians use every single day to strike at our energy infrastructure.” Regions affected included Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Vinnytsia.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities as the conflict enters its fourth year, initially focusing on electricity but increasingly aiming at gas infrastructure. Sergii Koretskyi, CEO of state energy company Naftogaz, confirmed that there have been six major attacks on gas facilities this month alone, damaging operations in several regions.

He warned of reduced domestic gas production, stating, “This directly impacts the volume of domestic gas production, which we are forced to cover through imports.” Koretskyi urged Ukrainians to use gas economically.

The latest strikes underscore Russia’s continued focus on energy infrastructure to weaken Ukraine before winter, intensifying the humanitarian and economic challenges facing the country amid ongoing conflict.

(With agency inputs)