Kyiv: Russia unleashed one of its heaviest assaults on Ukraine’s energy grid in months, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that left millions without power across multiple regions, Ukrainian officials reported Thursday. The latest wave of attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to request more air defense systems and long-range missiles critical to Ukraine’s survival this winter.
Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, said eight regions were hit by blackouts following Russia’s overnight barrage. The country’s largest private energy company, DTEK, confirmed widespread outages in Kyiv, while natural gas extraction in Poltava was halted due to damage from strikes. According to Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state energy giant, this marks the sixth attack this month on natural gas infrastructure.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles, deliberately targeting the same locations multiple times to cripple emergency crews and engineers.
“This fall, the Russians are using every single day to strike our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
Ukrainian officials describe Moscow’s tactic as “weaponizing winter,” seeking to freeze civilian populations and exhaust repair efforts as temperatures plunge. Russia maintains that it is only targeting sites of military relevance.
Amid mounting humanitarian strain, Zelenskyy is expected to arrive in Washington late Thursday for a pivotal meeting with President Trump on Friday. Ukraine’s top priority, according to Kyiv officials, is to secure U.S.-made cruise missiles, advanced air defense systems, and joint drone production agreements to strengthen its long-term defense capabilities.
Zelenskyy is also urging tougher international sanctions on Moscow, warning that Russia’s war machine remains funded through global oil sales and sanction loopholes.
The meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump comes shortly after the U.S. president’s phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump described as “productive.” Trump said the two leaders would meet soon in Budapest, Hungary, to explore possible peace initiatives though no date has been finalized.
“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that his upcoming meeting with Zelenskyy would focus on “ending the bloodshed and restoring stability.”
However, Washington’s decision on whether to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles remains uncertain. The U.S. Defense Department has expressed concerns that supplying such weapons could escalate tensions with Moscow, while Trump himself has grown increasingly impatient with Putin’s resistance to peace efforts.
“If Russia refuses to negotiate a peace deal, the United States will take the steps necessary to impose costs for its continued aggression,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting in Brussels.
In a separate development, Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally assured him that India would stop purchasing Russian oil, a move that could significantly impact Moscow’s war finances. The claim, if realized, would represent a major diplomatic breakthrough for Washington’s strategy to economically isolate Russia.
Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, stated that providing long-range missiles to Ukraine would not amount to escalation, arguing it would simply “mirror Russia’s own use of cruise missiles against Ukrainian targets.”
As uncertainty lingers over U.S. military aid, Kyiv is turning toward defense industry partnerships to bolster self-sufficiency. On Thursday, Ukraine’s Economy Ministry announced a memorandum of understanding with Bell Textron Inc., a Texas-based aerospace and defense firm, to collaborate on aviation technology.
Under the agreement, Bell Textron will open an office in Ukraine, establish an assembly and testing center, and train Ukrainian engineers in the United States. This initiative is part of Kyiv’s wider strategy to rebuild its defense sector and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials also met with representatives from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, signaling a long-term plan to strengthen domestic weapons production amid uncertainty over future Western support.
As Ukraine braces for another harsh winter under relentless bombardment, Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington could prove decisive. Whether Trump’s administration chooses to deepen military assistance or focus on diplomatic outreach to Moscow will likely shape the next phase of the war and determine how Ukraine withstands the cold, dark months ahead.
For millions of Ukrainians once again plunged into darkness, the outcome of Friday’s White House meeting may define not only the fate of their nation’s power grid but its path toward survival and peace.