Follow-Up: Russian Overnight Barrage Hits Ukraine's Energy Grid — 16 Ballistic Missiles, Over 200 Drones, 3 Killed, at Least 550,000 Households Without Power
Ukraine received no advance warning from its partners of a Russian ballistic missile strike overnight, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, after Moscow launched one of its broadest air assaults in months, cutting power to more than half a million households and killing three people, Reuters and other outlets reported on October 19.
Russia fired 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region and more than 200 drones across the country, in attacks stretching from Kharkiv and Dnipro in the east to Odesa in the south and Volyn and Rivne in the west, Zelenskiy said. More than 10 energy facilities were damaged, he said. Officials said a woman died in Kyiv and two more people were killed in the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih. Writing on X, Zelenskiy said the lights went out for at least 550,000 families in that one night alone, and that repair crews were working at the sites.
"Another Russian ballistic missile attack came in several waves overnight, and once again, there was no early warning from our partners," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. "When deliveries of missiles for Ukraine's air defence are blocked while Russia is granted relief or delays in sanctions, this is, unfortunately, a denial of reality on the part of our partners."
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Kyiv received no warning ahead of the first ballistic missile strike overnight but did receive information ahead of a second attack; he said experts were investigating the initial absence of information with Ukraine's partners and that similar failures had occurred before. Throughout the war, now lasting nearly five years, Ukraine has depended on intelligence from the United States to identify Russian ballistic missile launches and provide early warning of incoming strikes.
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday its forces had carried out a "massive strike" on targets in Kyiv and Ukraine's capital region, targeting military-industrial facilities, storage sites for cruise missiles and drones, and data centers.
Zelenskiy's complaint comes amid growing friction between Zelenskiy and President Donald Trump's administration over U.S. support for Ukraine and Washington's approach to Russia.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：330 千伏高压输电塔（资料图，非本次受袭设施）。（Novoklimov／CC BY 4.0，Wikimedia Commons）
- 2026-10-18Zelenskyy Says Russia Has Struck Ukraine's Energy and Gas Sectors 76 Times in Week Since 'Energy Ceasefire' Announced
- 2026-10-18Ukraine Launches One of Its Largest Drone Attacks of the Year on Russia; St Petersburg Oil Terminal Ablaze as Russia Claims 1,015 Drones Downed
- 2026-10-18Ukraine Regrets Possible Diversion of Its Drones Into Lithuanian Airspace, Apologizes
- 2026-10-18Follow-Up: After Ukraine's 1,000-Drone Strike on Russian Oil Sites, Trump Says Zelensky 'Doesn't Want to End This War'; Zelensky Confirms Call With U.S. Envoys
- 2026-10-19Russian Strike Kills One in Kyiv, Hits Subway Station and 25-Storey Block; Zelenskiy Says US Has Resumed Intelligence Sharing
- 2026-10-19Follow-Up: Russian Overnight Barrage Hits Ukraine's Energy Grid — 16 Ballistic Missiles, Over 200 Drones, 3 Killed, at Least 550,000 Households Without PowerThis story
- 2026-10-19Zelenskiy Calls U.S. Decisions on Ukraine "Hard to Explain," Says Pentagon Is Delaying PURL Missile Deliveries and Offers 30-Day Refinery-Strike Halt for Patriot Interceptors
- 2026-10-21Russian Ballistic Missiles Strike Kyiv on Wednesday Evening, Injuring Six and Damaging Homes and a Petrol Station
- 2026-10-22Follow-Up: Russian Missile Waves Hit Kyiv Overnight, Killing 1 and Injuring 22; Metro Bridge and Emergency Medical Center Damaged
- 2026-10-22Follow-Up: Russian Strikes Kill 9 and Injure 56 Across Ukraine; 1 Dead and 24 Hurt in Kyiv
