Russia launched a massive combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine's power grid overnight on 22-23 December, killing at least three civilians, including a 4-year-old child. The Christmas-week assault injured at least 13 people across multiple oblasts and triggered emergency blackouts nationwide, according to local authorities and the power grid operator. At the time of publication, the attack continues, with several explosive drones still reportedly in the air. More civilians were hurt in other Russian attack, such as FPV-drone strikes and artillery shelling.
Ukrenergo announces emergency blackouts
Ukraine's national grid operator Ukrenergo reported that the massive missile and drone attack on energy infrastructure forced emergency power cuts in several oblasts, promising to lift restrictions after the power grid is stabilized.
"Restoration work will begin as soon as the security situation allows," the operator stated.
Ukrenergo urged consumers with electricity to use it sparingly and to monitor updates from regional distribution operators.
Attack routes and weapons used
Telegram channel Aviacontrol published a map visualizing the routes of Russian missiles and drones. The channel reported that Russian forces launched attack drones from four sites in Russia: Oryol, Khalino, Millerovo, and Prymorsko-Akhtarsk.
The monitoring channel noted that Russia also fired three Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles at the city of Shepetivka — a major railway hub in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. At least 10 Kh-101 cruise missiles targeted Zhytomyr and Khmelnytskyi oblasts, according to the channel.
Main targets included Rivne, Stryi, Shepetivka, Horodok, Nemyriv, Kyiv, frontline areas in Donetsk Oblast, Mykolaiv, and Izmail.
13 regions targeted with some 650 drones and more than 30 missiles
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched a massive overnight strike targeting energy, civilian, and vital infrastructure “literally all infrastructure of life” across at least 13 oblasts.
He reported that “more than 650 drones have already been used, and a significant part of them are Shaheds,” along with “over 30 missiles.”
Zelenskyy noted the attack came “right before Christmas, when people just want to be with their loved ones, at home, in safety
,” and “in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war.”
“Putin simply cannot accept that he must stop killing,” he added, saying that “this means the world is not pressuring Russia enough.”
Kyiv city
A Russian attack on the capital injured five people, including one child, Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported. Falling drone debris damaged several five-story buildings in Sviatoshynskyi district of the city.
Kyiv Oblast
The Russian attack killed a woman born in 1949 in Vyshhorod district, the head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration Mykola Kalashnyk reported. A fire engulfed her two-story detached home. Three others suffered shrapnel wounds: a man born in 1975, a woman born in 1976, and a girl born in 2009. Medical teams provided first aid to all victims at the scene.
Zhytomyr Oblast
A child born in 2021 died from wounds sustained in overnight Russian strikes, the head of Zhytomyr Oblast Military Administration Vitalii Bunechko reported. Medics hospitalized the toddler and fought to save the child's life but failed. Another child and one adult remain hospitalized. In total, Russian strikes on Zhytomyr Oblast killed one person and injured five overnight.
Lviv Oblast
Russian forces attacked critical energy infrastructure in Lviv Oblast with combat drones on the morning of 23 December, the head of the oblast Maksym Kozytskyi reported.
"Last night, the enemy attacked a critical energy infrastructure facility in Lviv Oblast with combat drones. Unfortunately, there are consequences," he wrote.
The official didn't report any casualties among civilians.
Odesa Oblast
Russian attack drones struck southern Odesa Oblast overnight on 23 December, the head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration Oleh Kiper reported. The strikes targeted energy, port, transport, industrial, and residential infrastructure. In one district, the attack damaged a civilian cargo ship, a warehouse, and a garage.
A fire broke out on the roof of a two-story building, which rescuers extinguished. In another district, the blast wave shattered windows and doors in 122 detached homes and damaged glazing in three apartment buildings. The attack also hit an empty warehouse. No injuries were reported in Odesa Oblast, but affected districts experienced power outages.
DSNS confirmed damage to a civilian vessel, warehouses, residential buildings, and private homes.
Khmelnytskyi Oblast
A Russian attack killed a person born in 1953 in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, regional official Serhii Tiurin reported. The strikes also damaged power grids, according to the regional energy company Khmelnytskyioblenergo. Energy workers are restoring electricity distribution to affected consumers.
Rivne Oblast
The Russian air attack damaged a two-story apartment building in Rivne Oblast, the head of the oblast Oleksandr Koval reported. The blast wave blew out windows in the building. The attack also destroyed a wooden utility structure and damaged three vehicles. No one was injured, the authorities said.
Sumy Oblast
Russian attack drones struck Shostka overnight on 23 December and destroyed a critical infrastructure facility, the city's mayor Mykola Noha reported on Facebook.
"Some residents lost electricity and heating. Utility companies and hospitals switched to generators. Emergency repair crews are working at the strike site. We are calculating the damage," he wrote.
The Sumy Oblast Administration said that from the morning of 22 December to the morning of 23 December 2025, Russian forces carried out more than 60 attacks on 31 settlements in 16 territorial communities, mainly in Sumy and Shostka districts, using artillery, mortars, multiple-launch rocket systems, FPV drones, long-range drones, and unguided aircraft rockets.
Chernihiv Oblast
Russian forces attacked Novhorod-Siverskyi near the Chernihiv Oblast border with multiple Gerbera-type attack drones around 2 a.m. on 23 December, the head of Novhorod-Siverskyi district administration Oleksandr Seliverstov reported on Facebook. The strikes hit civilian infrastructure in the city. Preliminary reports indicated no casualties.
DSNS reported damage to one-damily homes, critical infrastructure facilities, and civilian objects in Novhorod-Siverskyi and Pryluky districts.
Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv oblasts
During the night, Suspilne reported explosions in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, specifically in Burshtyn and Rohatyn. Explosions were also heard on the outskirts of Cherkasy.
- Dnipropetrovsk Oblast authorities reported that air defenses downed seven long-range drones, while FPV drone strikes damaged homes and property in four communities. No injuries were reported.
- Donetsk Regional Administration reported one civilian death over the past 24 hours but did not clarify whether it resulted from the overnight air strikes or ongoing Russian ground assaults.
- Oleksandr Prokudin, Kherson Oblast Head, said Russian short-range drone strikes injured 9 civilians over the past 24 hours. In the morning, Russia continued its bomber and FPV drone attacks known as "human safari," injuring one man and killing another.
- Kharkiv Oblast officials reported no casualties and said Russia launched 3 "Geran-2-type drones" - using the Russian designation for Iranian-designed Shahed 136 UAVs.
Poland scrambles fighter jets
Poland scrambled its military aircraft and put air defense and radar reconnaissance systems on heightened readiness overnight on 23 December in response to Russia's massive attack on Ukraine, Reuters reported.
"Fighter jets were scrambled, and ground-based air-defense and radar reconnaissance systems were put on heightened readiness," the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces posted on X.
