Russian attacks left Ukraine's southeastern regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia almost entirely without power, the country's energy ministry said on Wednesday night.
Critical infrastructure was operating on reserve power, it said in a statement on Telegram, while officials reported disruptions to water supplies and the internet.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, intending to paralyze power supplies during a harsh winter.
Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated on Telegram: Ukraine's energy system is under enemy attacks every day, and energy workers are operating in extremely difficult conditions to provide people with light and heat. She also noted that deteriorating weather conditions are putting additional strain on critical infrastructure.
As temperatures plummet, emergency restoration work will start as soon as the security situation allows, according to state energy company Ukrenergo. In Dnipro city, Mayor Borys Filatov announced that all city hospitals are running on generators and that necessary water supplies are being maintained.
School holidays have been extended until January 9 due to the power cuts. Meanwhile, the Zaporizhzhia regional administration's chief, Ivan Fedorov, reported that water utility workers are rapidly working to restore water access amidst a complete blackout.
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy provider, is said to be in a constant state of crisis due to persistent Russian attacks on the grid. CEO Maxim Timchenko remarked that the strikes are so intense that they've struggled to keep up with repairs.
As the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion approaches, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns over the lack of solid guarantees from European allies regarding the protection of Ukraine against new Russian aggression.
Following talks in Paris, a joint declaration by the UK and France mentioned the possibility of deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is reached; however, Moscow warned that foreign troops in Ukraine would be seen as legitimate targets.
