At least 11 people have been killed and multiple regions in Ukraine plunged into darkness after a night of intense Russian attacks targeting residential areas and energy infrastructure, local authorities reported. The assaults come as Ukraine calls for additional sanctions and asset freezes on Russia, while the country braces for another harsh winter amid a nearly four-year-long war.

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Russia Launches Massive Drone and Missile Assault

Ukraine’s military confirmed that Russian forces launched 503 air attacks overnight, including 45 missiles and 458 drones. While Ukrainian air defences intercepted 406 drones, most of the missiles penetrated the protective systems, with only nine successfully shot down.

The attacks were concentrated on critical gas and power infrastructure, causing rolling blackouts across several regions and leaving thousands of residents without electricity in the middle of winter preparations.

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Civilian Casualties Across Ukraine

Authorities reported multiple casualties across frontline and central regions:

• Zaporizhzhia Region: Three people killed and six injured in overnight attacks targeting residential buildings.
• Donetsk Region: Two civilians killed across two districts amid continued frontline clashes.
• Kherson Region: Two fatalities and 10 wounded following strikes on multistorey buildings, private homes, and vehicles.
• Kyiv (Vyshhorod District): One woman injured, with damage reported to civilian and energy infrastructure.
• Dnipro Region: Three killed and 11 wounded, including children, after a building was struck.
• Poltava Region: Rolling blackouts continue after a “massive” strike, with one reported injury.

These attacks underscore Russia’s continued strategy of targeting civilian infrastructure to disrupt daily life and weaken Ukraine’s capacity to withstand prolonged conflict.

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Zelenskyy Calls for Stronger Sanctions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls for expanded sanctions and asset freezes against Russia, emphasizing that current measures remain insufficient:

“Russian strikes show that pressure must be stronger. Russian nuclear energy is still not under sanctions, and its military-industrial complex continues to receive Western microelectronics. More pressure is needed on oil and gas trade as well.”

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Russian Ministry of Defence Confirms Strikes

Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the assaults, describing them as a “massive strike with high-precision long-range weapons from air, land, and sea platforms”, including hypersonic ballistic missiles. Moscow reported shooting down two guided aerial bombs and 178 Ukrainian drones, with additional drones intercepted before noon Saturday.

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Intensifying Ground Battles in Eastern Ukraine

Meanwhile, fierce house-to-house fighting continues in Pokrovsk, Donetsk, where tens of thousands of Russian troops have gathered to capture buildings long held by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskii confirmed that Kyiv’s troops are launching counter-assaults around Dobropillia to relieve pressure on Pokrovsk and halt further Russian advances.

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Humanitarian and Strategic Impact

The combined effect of drone, missile, and hypersonic attacks is crippling Ukraine’s infrastructure, with thousands of civilians facing power outages and disrupted daily life. Local authorities warned of potential long-term damage to essential services if attacks continue through winter.

The international community faces renewed pressure to respond as diplomatic momentum stalls, highlighting the urgency of additional sanctions and measures to prevent further civilian suffering.