By Harshit, Kyiv, Ukraine | October 22, 2025
Russia launched a massive overnight air assault on Ukraine early Wednesday, targeting cities and energy infrastructure across the country, killing at least six people—including a six-month-old baby—and leaving widespread power outages, Ukrainian authorities reported. The attack, carried out with drones, missiles, and fighter jets, struck major urban centers including the capital, Kyiv, intensifying the war that has now entered its fourth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying they targeted both “energy infrastructure and ordinary cities,” and called on the international community to maintain pressure on Moscow.
Casualties and Damage
Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned energy operator, confirmed that emergency power cuts were implemented across most regions due to damage to energy facilities. DTEK, the country’s largest private energy company, reported significant destruction at one of its plants in the Odesa region. Efforts to restore power were underway.
In Kyiv, drone debris struck a 16-story residential building in the Dniprovskiy district, igniting a fire that killed two people and forced the evacuation of 10 others. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that additional strikes caused significant structural damage to other high-rises.
In the Brovary district east of Kyiv, a woman, a 12-year-old girl, and a six-month-old baby perished when Russian strikes set their home ablaze, officials reported. An 83-year-old woman was rescued from a burning house in the same district.
Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, also suffered casualties when a 40-year-old man was killed in Russian strikes. Six others were injured, including children, while a kindergarten in the city was hit, prompting the evacuation of all children to shelters. Zelensky emphasized that many of the young evacuees were experiencing acute stress reactions following the attack.
By midday Wednesday, Kyiv alone recorded 25 injuries, with more than 10 hospitalized, including four children.
International and Diplomatic Context
The attacks occurred hours after US President Donald Trump stated that a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been shelved, calling it a possible “waste of time.” While Trump suggested he may still meet Putin in the future, the summit is no longer a top priority. Zelensky, visiting Norway and Sweden to discuss defense cooperation, welcomed the idea of freezing frontlines as a compromise but expressed skepticism that Putin would agree.
European Union ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternovak described the night of strikes as “a night of horror.” She recounted taking shelter on the floor of her hotel bathroom as sirens wailed and explosions shook the building, highlighting the fear experienced by residents.
Ukraine Strikes Back
In response to Russian attacks, Ukraine used British-made Storm Shadow long-range missiles to strike Russia’s Bryansk Chemical Plant, which produces gunpowder and other explosives. The Storm Shadow, with a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), was first used by Ukraine against Russian targets last November.
The regional governor of Bryansk claimed that Russian forces destroyed 57 Ukrainian UAVs during Tuesday’s counterstrike. Russian authorities have not yet provided official comment regarding the missile attack.
Political and Strategic Implications
The escalation follows Trump’s decision earlier this week to deny Ukraine access to long-range Tomahawk missiles, insisting that Ukraine negotiate territorial concessions with Russia to end the war. Zelensky called on the United States and the European Union to increase pressure on Russia in response to Wednesday’s attacks, emphasizing that global silence would embolden Moscow.
“This is another night proving that Russia does not feel enough pressure for dragging out the war,” Zelensky wrote on X, Ukraine’s social media platform, underscoring the ongoing threat to civilians.
Impact on Civilians
Across Ukraine, residents scrambled to safety as fires engulfed buildings and power outages plunged cities into darkness. Emergency services and energy workers are laboring under challenging conditions to restore essential services. The attacks highlight the increasing vulnerability of civilian infrastructure and underscore the urgent need for international support.
Ukraine’s leadership and citizens are bracing for continued assaults as the war intensifies, calling on the international community to maintain a united front against Russian aggression.