Russia hits Kyiv power grid and bridge as Abu Dhabi peace talks loom

Russia launched one of its heaviest overnight attacks on Kyiv's energy network on November 6–7, firing 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones at Ukraine's power grid, a major bridge, and residential areas — days before Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. negotiators are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi for trilateral peace talks.

Russia is preparing for trilateral talks by launching ballistic missiles at Ukraine's critical infrastructure.— Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

Ukraine's air force said only four of the 36 ballistic missiles were intercepted, while air defences downed 149 of the 172 drones. At least two people were killed and around a dozen wounded across Ukraine, including at least two children, according to Ukrainian authorities. In Kyiv's Solomyansky district, a kindergarten was severely damaged.

Only yesterday kids were playing here, dancing, and drawing. Now, there is nothing left inside the building. We hope very much for help.— Tetyana, local resident

The strikes hit substations connecting the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants to Kyiv and Ukraine's central regions, according to Zelensky. Substations in five other regions were also struck. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River was damaged — its road surface, trolleybus overhead wire, and power line all affected — and closed to traffic in both directions. Buses that previously crossed via the Northern Bridge were rerouted through the Podil Bridge, according to the Kyiv City State Administration.

The capital is facing serious difficulties with its electricity, water, and heat supplies.— Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

The city of Chernihiv was left completely without power, according to its city council. The Kyiv City Express service reported that emergency power cuts were put in place across the Kyiv region, halting two commuter trains outright and delaying a third after a failure in the overhead wire system.

Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the strikes, describing them as targeting Ukraine's military-industrial sector, energy, and transport infrastructure. It separately claimed the Northern Bridge was used to transport weapons and military equipment for Ukrainian forces — a justification Moscow has repeatedly used for attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The strikes fit a pattern documented in an intercepted Russian military assessment seen by the Guardian, which Ukrainian intelligence says it obtained last month and which Ukraine's energy minister subsequently briefed to European allies. Titled 'Analysis of Ukraine's Energy, Housing and Utilities Sectors,' the document maps out vulnerable points in the grid and details how many ballistic and hypersonic cruise missiles and jet-powered drones would be required to disable power plants and substations. Among the scenarios it considers are attacks on switchyards at multiple nuclear power plants; it also predicts that eliminating electricity generation alone would bring about a 'significant decrease in the quality of life of the population.' Expert projections cited by the Guardian warn that a worst-case outcome could mean blackouts of as long as 20 hours a day.

There are two large documents, written very coldly and very clearly, with tables showing the number of weapons needed for each facility to destroy it. The types of weapons range from ballistic missiles to jet-powered and conventional drones. We understand how they are going to act.— Denys Shmyhal, Ukrainian Energy Minister

Multiple European officials with knowledge of the document told the Guardian they believed it was produced by analytical units connected to the Russian military or intelligence services, and that versions of it had been circulating inside Ukraine for several years. The Guardian said it was withholding some specifics at the request of Ukraine's energy ministry, which said publishing them could aid further strikes.

Last year, we were really on the brink. But the risk this year will be even worse, so the plan does seem realistic. There's a very high chance that Russia tries to break us this winter.— Volodymyr Fesenko, Ukrainian political analyst

Ukrainian business outlet Economic Pravda reported that three power plants in the Kyiv region — Combined Heat and Power Plants 4 and 5, and the Trypillya Thermal Power Plant — have lost all capacity to generate electricity, forcing the capital to depend more heavily on power brought in from other parts of the country. The government has not confirmed specific damage to critical infrastructure.

According to the Moscow Times, Russia has broadened its campaign in recent weeks to include Kyiv's bridges, creating severe traffic disruptions in a city of more than 3 million people. In the wake of an earlier strike on the South Bridge, Kyiv authorities set aside 1 billion hryvnia to build combined water crossings over the Dnipro River. The Cabinet of Ministers also announced it would send 10 additional generators to the city's water utility after shelling previously left the capital without running water for nearly a full day.

The attacks come as Ukraine and Russia are due to send delegations to Abu Dhabi on November 10–11 for U.S.-brokered trilateral talks. According to RFE/RL, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that a 'big, beautiful agreement' may be within reach, adding that it could encompass not just Ukraine but 'all of Europe.' Trump's envoy Jared Kushner stated that the talks would uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations involved, that no country would hold veto power over another's security arrangements or alliance choices, and that NATO would remain at the core of European collective defense.

Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who headed Russian negotiating teams in talks with Ukraine in both 2022 and 2025 without achieving a breakthrough, will lead Russia's delegation, according to Interfax as cited by RFE/RL. Heading Ukraine's delegation will be Rustem Umerov, who directs Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service and previously served as defense minister. Kyiv had earlier said Russia's proposed delegates did not have sufficient decision-making authority.

Also on the day of the strikes, Ukraine's military announced long-range attacks on Russian facilities, among them the JSC Proton-Electrotex military-industrial enterprise in Russia's Oryol region, which Ukraine's General Staff said manufactures components for Russia's Iskander-M ballistic missiles and cruise missile systems. A Ukrainian drone strike set off a fire at an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov region, with regional governor Roman Busargin reporting damage to civilian infrastructure and preliminary indications of casualties.

Ukraine must not be left alone as the fifth wartime winter approaches.— Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

We are counting on the U.S. Congress to give more attention to Ukraine, because Russia keeps increasing the number of its attacks.— Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

Why it matters — With trilateral peace talks days away and a fifth wartime winter beginning, Russia's strikes on Kyiv's nuclear-linked substations and bridges — guided, Ukraine says, by an intercepted destruction blueprint — could push millions of people toward prolonged blackouts and a humanitarian crisis that reshapes both the war and the negotiations.

Sources differ on Casualty figures from overnight strikes: At least 2 killed, around a dozen wounded (themoscowtimes.com) vs More than a dozen injured, one person killed in Dnipropetrovsk region (rferl.org)

Reported by understandingwar.org, themoscowtimes.com, cbc.ca, theguardian.com, rferl.org, news.liga.net