Significant power outages continue to affect consumers in several Ukrainian regions, including Donetsk, Odesa, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, and Chernivtsi, due to recent Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. The Ministry of Energy reported on April 2 that restoration efforts are underway.
According to the ministry, from midnight to 10 a.m. on April 2, power restrictions were implemented across all regions of Ukraine. Energy workers are operating under heightened conditions to restore electricity to all affected subscribers as quickly as possible. Restoration work is being conducted around the clock.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported earlier on the same day that Russian forces launched an attack involving 172 drones overnight. Air defense systems successfully intercepted 147 of these drones, while 22 strike UAVs hit 12 locations, with debris falling in eight areas.
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Attacks intensified in the autumn of 2025, exacerbating the challenges faced by the energy sector.
On February 25, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced that he had submitted materials to the International Criminal Court regarding Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure from July 2025 to February 2026.
The Security Service of Ukraine has classified these strikes as crimes against humanity, documenting at least 256 aerial attacks on energy facilities and heating systems since the beginning of the current heating season.
In early February 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russia had not initiated attacks on civilian facilities, alleging that Ukraine had attacked its energy infrastructure first.
According to the United Nations, as of January 2026, Ukraine has lost over half of its electricity generation capacity due to occupation and damage from attacks, leaving it with only 11 GW of generation capacity, significantly below the required 18 GW during peak winter consumption.
This gap between generation capacity and consumption needs has resulted in prolonged power supply disruptions.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal stated on March 25 that the World Bank estimates Ukraine will require nearly $91 billion over the next decade to restore its energy sector.
Power outages in various Ukrainian regions persist due to ongoing Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. Restoration efforts are in progress, but significant challenges remain as the country faces a substantial gap between energy generation and consumption needs.