Main Target of Russia's Night Strike Was Energy Grid of Kyiv and Region, Says Zelensky

On the night of September 30, 2026, Russian forces launched a massive combined attack across Ukraine, deploying nearly 190 attack drones and ballistic missiles. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the primary target of the enemy was the critical infrastructure and energy facilities of Kyiv and the Kyiv region. As a result of the attack, serious damage to residential buildings, as well as water and power supply disruptions, were recorded in the capital and the region.

Scale of Destruction and Attack Consequences

In addition to the capital, critical facilities in the Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, and Rivne regions were targeted, while infrastructure damage was reported in the Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Cherkasy regions. In Ivankovychi, a drone directly hit a grocery supermarket, causing a large-scale fire that emergency services promptly extinguished. In Kyiv, a strike on a warehouse building resulted in one death, while shelling in residential areas caused casualties among women and destroyed homes. Across the country, 14 people were injured, and the total death toll reached five, including one child.

Contradictory Data

Official reports and operational updates from relevant agencies showed some discrepancies regarding the total number of casualties and injured in the first hours after the raid. While state services initially recorded 14 wounded and 5 dead nationwide, local military administrations in certain regions provided updated data on residential damage, which was later adjusted by the State Emergency Service after extinguishing all fires in four districts of Kyiv — Podilskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, and Solomianskyi.

Government Assessment and International Community Reaction

The Prime Minister of Ukraine noted that such a massive and combined attack using various types of weaponry occurred for the first time since the end of the previous heating season. The head of government demanded that local authorities urgently check the readiness of backup power systems at all critical facilities. In turn, President Zelensky emphasized the importance of recent military aid packages and air defense supplies from international partners, which intercepted some of the enemy ballistic targets, while calling for further strengthening of Ukraine's air shield.