Russian strikes cut power to millions in eight Ukrainian regions

Russian forces attacked energy infrastructure in eight Ukrainian oblasts on the night of October 26 and 27. The strikes cut power to parts of Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Khmelnytskyi. Ukrenergo, Ukraine's state-owned electricity transmission operator, confirmed the disruptions. The Ministry of Energy and Khmelnytskoblenergo also verified the damage to the grid.

Emergency repair crews have started work where safety conditions allow. The attacks have triggered hourly power outage schedules covering up to 2.5 queues. Ukrenergo defines a queue as a specific group of consumers and businesses using a set amount of megawatts. The Dispatch Centre sets the number of queues to address energy deficits. Critical infrastructure and eligible industrial companies importing at least 60% of their energy remain connected. A Ukrainian Cabinet resolution applies these rules to all consumer categories until the end of the day.

Residents in affected areas may face no electricity for eight to 12 hours daily. Further Russian attacks could worsen the situation and increase the scale of outages. Electricity consumption dropped by 1.36% on the morning of October 27 compared to the same time the previous day. The decline results from new forced consumption restrictions following the damage.

Energy agencies urge people to limit high-power electrical appliances during peak hours from 16:00 to 22:00. This measure aims to avoid overloading the power system and prevent additional accidents. The city of Konotop in Sumy Oblast has been without electricity for a fourth consecutive day. Russian strikes on the night of October 23 and 24 caused the outage, and officials have not provided a forecast for when power will be restored.