An attack on energy infrastructure by Russian forces has left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power and some without water in the Chernihiv region.
The energy ministry said the regional capital, also called Chernihiv, and the northern part of the province had lost all electricity supply.
“Emergency crews in the Chernihiv region are unable to begin work on restoring power supply due to continuous attacks by Russian drones,” the energy ministry said in a statement shared on Telegram on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
The ministry also accused Russia of circling drones above damaged facilities to make it impossible to carry out repairs and “deliberately prolong the humanitarian crisis”.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X: “Putin pretends to be ready for diplomacy and peace negotiations, while in reality this night Russia launched a brutal missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
“Energy infrastructure was under heavy strikes once again. Many communities have been left without power amid cold autumn temperatures, some have been left without water.
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“While our energy response teams are working to restore power, I once again call on all of our partners in Europe and beyond to urgently mobilize additional assistance for Ukraine’s resilience: from energy equipment to energy sources and air defense capabilities.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky also wrote on Telegram that repairs were now underway.
“Russia’s tactics are to murder people and terrorise them with the cold,” Zelensky stated.
The attack, which also targeted the neighbouring Sumy region of northern Ukraine, was the latest in a campaign of Russian strikes targeting the Ukrainian energy grid ahead of winter.
The Chernihiv region, which had a pre-war population of just under a million, has been hammered by Russian drone and missile attacks on its power infrastructure in recent weeks, causing regular blackouts and disrupting daily life.
According to Reuters, Russia has consistently hit Ukrainian energy facilities since launching a full-scale 2022 invasion of Ukraine, maintaining that they are a legitimate military target in war.
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