Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s forces knock out power in Ukrainian cities as thousands without heat

Sam Kiley in Kyiv, Arpan Rai & Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Tens of thousands have been left without heat, power and water in Ukrainian cities after Russia battered the country’s energy system with drones and ballistic missiles overnight.

In Kyiv alone, around 3,500 apartment buildings were without heating on ​Thursday after the latest attack knocked out supplies to nearly 2,600 high-rises, on top of the 1,100 already affected by previous strikes, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

More than 100,000 families were without electricity, according to private energy firm DTEK, which said one of its thermal power plants had been targeted but did not disclose the location.

In Odesa, nearly 300,000 people were left without water as the attack disrupted power supplies, deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba said. He added that close to 200 buildings in the strategic Black Sea port were left without heating.

The attack comes as EU leaders are gathering in Belgium to discuss how to resist pressure from Russia, as well as the United States and China.

The summit follows Volodymyr Zelensky’s dismissal of reports that he is planning to announce elections on the anniversary of Russia‘s full-scale invasion of his country on 24 February.