Ukraine is experiencing significant power outages in several regions due to a large-scale missile and drone assault by Russia on March 24. Areas affected include Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv, as reported by the Ministry of Energy and the National Energy Company of Ukraine (Ukrenergo).
The situation is particularly dire in Chernihiv, where multiple attacks have damaged energy infrastructure, necessitating scheduled power cuts. Currently, around 62,000 customers in the Nizhyn, Novhorod-Siverskyi, and Pryluky districts are without electricity. In addition, a worker in Khmelnytskyi was injured following a strike on an energy facility.
Energy workers are operating under heightened conditions to restore power as quickly as possible. The company has advised consumers to conserve energy and adjust their usage to align with peak solar energy production hours, specifically from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Residents are urged to avoid using multiple high-power appliances simultaneously during the evening hours of 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Ukrenergo has indicated that the energy situation remains fluid, and residents should check local energy company updates for the latest information on outages.
On the night of March 24, Russian forces launched a combined attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, deploying a total of 426 aerial assault tools, including drones and missiles. Ukrainian air defense successfully intercepted 25 missiles and 365 drones, with confirmed strikes from six missiles and 27 drones across 22 locations. Debris from downed drones was reported at 10 sites, while the status of three missiles is still being clarified.
Throughout the day, Russian attacks continued, utilizing over 550 drones of various types. In total, nearly 1,000 drones were launched from the night of March 23 to the evening of March 24, including models such as Shahed and Gerbera. By 6:00 PM, Ukrainian air defense had downed 541 drones, with 15 confirmed hits.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that 11 Ukrainian regions have sustained damage from the attacks. Cities affected include Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, and parts of Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. He expressed condolences for the casualties, with reports of over 40 injuries, including five children, all of whom are receiving necessary medical assistance.
Zelensky emphasized that the primary target of Russian strikes remains Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but damage has also occurred to other sites, including the historic center of Lviv, where a fire broke out in the 17th-century St. Andrew’s Church.
Moreover, the extensive Russian assault has led to the shutdown of the cross-border electricity line between Moldova and Romania. In response, the Moldovan government has supported Prime Minister Alexander Muntianu’s proposal to declare a 60-day state of emergency in the energy sector.
A recent wave of Russian missile and drone attacks has left thousands in Ukraine without power, particularly impacting regions like Chernihiv. The assaults have also caused injuries and damage to critical infrastructure, prompting emergency measures in neighboring Moldova.