‘Massive’ Russian attack on Ukraine kills at least six, damages power sites

Russian air attacks have killed at least six people in Ukraine and left hundreds of thousands without power, days after United States President Donald Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” in the more-than four year war.

The ⁠⁠Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that its forces had carried out a “massive” strike ‌‌against communications and energy infrastructure facilities ⁠⁠in Ukraine, the Interfax ⁠⁠news ⁠⁠agency reported.

In a statement, it said Russian forces hit two plants supplying power and heating in the capital Kyiv, two other plants in the wider region and an electricity substation.

Other targets included ⁠⁠a heating and power plant in Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv, along with a ⁠⁠thermal power facility which the ministry ⁠⁠said supplied the Ukrainian military in the southeast of the Kharkiv region.

Moscow said its forces had also hit a data ‌‌centre in Kyiv which it said was used to gather intelligence on Russia’s military.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged people to remain in shelters.

“Energy facilities in Kyiv and the surrounding region have come under a massive ballistic missile strike. There are power disruptions in the capital,” he wrote on Telegram.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, said the attack had caused emergency power cuts in several urban districts of Kyiv.