Russia Claims Eastern village Gains Amidst Ukrainian Power Grid Strain
Kharkiv, Ukraine – November 9, 2025 - As Ukrainian technicians work to restore power following widespread Russian strikes, the Russian Defense Ministry asserted the capture of three villages in eastern Ukraine, intensifying the conflict and raising concerns about a challenging winter for Ukrainian civilians. The strikes, which have left most regions of Ukraine facing electricity cuts of eight to sixteen hours daily, targeted critical infrastructure, according to state utility Ukrenergo.
The renewed offensive and infrastructure attacks come as Europe grapples with heightened anxieties over nuclear security. The strikes prompted a call from an unnamed source for an urgent meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing “unacceptable risks.” Previous Russian campaigns targeting Ukraine’s energy grid have already left millions without power, and the latest attacks fuel fears of a repeat scenario during the approaching winter months.
Russia’s defense Ministry stated its forces targeted “companies of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex and the gas and energy facilities that support their operations.” The claim follows a pattern of justification for attacks on civilian infrastructure, which Ukraine and its allies have condemned as intentional attempts to cripple the country and break civilian morale.
The situation underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and the potential for a prolonged humanitarian crisis as temperatures drop. Technicians are actively working to repair damage and deploy alternative energy sources, but full restoration remains uncertain.
(Image caption: A street in downtown Kharkiv, ukraine, November 8, 2025. VYACHESLAV MADIYEVSKYY/REUTERS)
