As Tomahawk pressure vanishes, Russia escalating strikes on Ukraine's energy sector, Zelensky says

Russia is intensifying attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin begins to ease, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 21.

Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's energy sector in recent months, just as a cold snap drives up demand and puts additional strain on the country's power infrastructure.

"In Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts, restoration work is underway across all affected areas following Russian strikes on our energy infrastructure. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, (Russian forces) even used FPV drones to target transformers," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Zelensky added that every region has the necessary resources to restore energy infrastructure, and that special services are doing everything they can — as should diplomats and political leaders.

"Just a few weeks ago, Putin was under real pressure and facing the threat of Tomahawk missiles, and he immediately showed a willingness to return to diplomacy. But as soon as that pressure eased even slightly, the Russians began backing away from diplomacy and trying to delay dialogue," Zelensky said.

Less than a week ago, hopes that the U.S. would provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles and place real pressure on Russia were high, but were derailed by a phone call from Putin to the White House.

Zelesnky said that Russia's tactics are not only killing people but also terrorizing civilians by weaponizing cold weather. Zelensky added that sustained pressure on Moscow is the only way to stop Russia and move toward peace.

"Only a sufficient range of our defense brings Putin back to reality. This war must end — and only pressure will lead to peace," he said.

Ukraine's border regions, particularly Chernihiv Oblast, have been among the hardest hit by ongoing Russian strikes targeting energy infrastructure.

As of the morning of Oct. 21, repair crews could not begin restoration work in Chernihiv Oblast due to continued strikes, according to Ukraine's Energy Ministry.

Russian forces launched a large-scale assault on the region overnight on Oct. 21, with 51 aerial targets detected, including two ballistic missiles. The attacks struck both a heat supply facility and a critical energy site, according to local authorities.

Ukrainians brace for another harsh winter as blackout fears return

As the first cold weather set in across Ukraine, Russia ramped up its attacks on the country’s energy grid, which was already under growing strain with every drop in temperature. On Oct. 10 — exactly three years to the day after Russia’s first major strike on Ukraine’s energy sector in 2022 — Russia launched nearly 450 drones and 30 missiles, causing power outages across nine regions, including Kyiv. Over 20 people were injured across the country, and a child was killed in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova