Zelenskyy plans new ‘deep strikes’ against Russia as Moscow targets power sector

Russian drone attacks on power facilities in northern and southern Ukraine overnight left nearly 60,000 customers without electricity, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowing to retaliate by ordering more strikes deep inside Russia.

Three and a half years into the war, Russia and Ukraine have both intensified airstrikes in recent weeks. Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy and transport systems, while Ukraine has been attacking Russian oil refineries and pipelines. “We will continue our active operations in exactly the way needed for Ukraine’s defence. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep strikes have also been planned,” Zelenskiy said on X after meeting Ukraine’s top general, Oleksandr Syrsky, without giving further details of the plans.

Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said Russian drones had attacked four energy facilities in the Odesa region during the night, and local authorities reported that 29,000 people were left without electricity early on Sunday.

Hardest hit was the port city of Chornomorsk, just outside Odesa, where residential houses and administrative buildings were also damaged, said Oleh Kiper, the governor of the broader Odesa region. “Critical infrastructure is operating on generators,” Kiper said on Telegram.