Russia launches a massive overnight missile strike on Ukraine's power plants; Ladyzhyn hit hardest

Russia launched a large missile and drone attack on Ukraine's energy system overnight into Tuesday, Nov. 3. Russia's Defense Ministry said it hit energy facilities in the Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions that it says power Ukraine's military industry, plus port infrastructure in the Odesa region, Interfax reports. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claim.

On the Ukrainian side, Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Dnipro and the Kryvyi Rih district. Ukrainian outlet UNN reports Ladyzhyn in Vinnytsia region was hit hardest, with the Ladyzhyn and Kryvyi Rih thermal power plants among the main targets. Missile counts so far come from monitoring channels, not official figures. Ukraine's Air Force said air defenses were active.

The same overnight attack hit a medical facility in Kharkiv, where dozens were reported injured. Damage and casualty figures from the energy strikes were still being assessed early Tuesday. On Monday, President Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence had warned that Russia was preparing a large strike on energy and logistics targets.

Update, Nov. 3: Kyiv and the surrounding region are under emergency power cuts after the strikes damaged the regional distribution network, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Power loss at Kyivvodokanal's main facilities cut water in the Pecherskyi, Podilskyi and Holosiivskyi districts, with no timeline for restoring it, the Kyiv Independent and Interfax-Ukraine report. President Zelensky said energy sites were hit in nine regions, from Odesa to Chernihiv.