Russia launched a series of devastating strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Thursday, targeting multiple cities and leaving many regions grappling with power outages and damage.

Ukrainian officials reported explosions in cities including Odesa, Kharkiv, Lutsk, Rivne, and Kropyvnytskyi as part of what Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko described as a “massive strike” on the nation’s energy facilities in a post on Facebook. “The enemy continues to attack Kharkiv with missiles,” Kharkiv’s mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed on Telegram, adding that a civilian area in the city had also been shelled.

Halushchenko detailed that the attacks targeted energy infrastructure across Ukraine, leading to emergency power outages. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper urged residents to remain in shelters as explosions were heard in the region. In Lutsk, Mayor Ihor Polishchuk reported multiple strikes, which resulted in localized power outages.

People take shelter inside a metro station during a Russian military attack, amid Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 28, 2024. REUTERS/Alina Smutko

Ukraine’s air force issued a nationwide air raid alert, warning of incoming missile strikes and urging civilians to stay protected. Over recent days, Russian forces have conducted approximately 1,500 airstrikes across half of Ukraine’s regions, marking a significant escalation in their aerial campaign.

Russian Advance in Donetsk

On the battlefield, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that its forces had taken control of Nova Illinka, a settlement near the strategically significant town of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. This advance is part of Russia’s ongoing efforts to solidify control over Donetsk, where fighting remains intense.

According to Reuters, while Ukrainian officials did not acknowledge the loss of Nova Illinka in their daily reports, Ukrainian war blog Deep State noted more than a week ago that the settlement had already fallen to Russian forces. Analysts suggest that Russian troops are advancing at their fastest pace in eastern Ukraine since the initial invasion in February 2022, capturing villages one after another.

Kurakhove and Pokrovsk, both in Donetsk, appear to be the next targets of the Russian push. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly address, highlighted ongoing fierce fighting in these areas and mentioned Russian activity in the Kupiansk sector in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled two recent incursions into Kupiansk, which was previously occupied by Russia before being recaptured during a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Wednesday night that its forces had repelled 30 of 36 Russian attacks near Kurakhove and 26 of 35 near Pokrovsk, signaling heavy combat in these strategic areas.

FILE PHOTO: A serviceman with a Russian flag on his uniform stands guard near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File Photo

In addition to ground battles, the situation remains tense around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting the plant and its surrounding area. Ukraine claimed Russian artillery fire had twice hit the plant and the city of Enerhodar, where most of the facility’s workers reside, while Russia alleged similar Ukrainian actions.