Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that on the night of November 3, 2026, Russia launched a "complex massive strike" across Ukrainian territory, calculated primarily against critical infrastructure. According to him, the main targets were generation facilities and substations in nine regions of the country. Zelensky specifically emphasized that the attack was timed to coincide with the US midterm congressional elections: "It is very telling that all this happens on the day of the American congressional elections. The Russians believe America will not notice this signal of theirs. But such terror must be noticed and stopped."

The Scale of the Night Attack

In a single night, Russia launched 289 strike drones, 17 ballistic missiles, and 59 cruise missiles at Ukrainian territory. Air defense forces shot down or suppressed 309 targets, but missiles and drones hit 23 locations. Air Force Spokesperson Yurii Ihnat clarified the tactical sequence of the strike: ballistic missiles flew across Ukraine at around 3:00 AM, and closer to morning, the enemy switched to cruise missiles. At the time of the president's statement, air raid alerts continued nationwide, and the threat of new missile and drone launches persisted.

Energy Under Fire: Nine Regions

According to Zelensky, the strikes hit generation capacities and substations in Odesa, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, Chernihiv, and Rivne regions. In many cities and communities, emergency and blackout power outages continue following the attack. The attack affected virtually all regions of the country—from the western borders to the south and east, indicating the systemic nature of the strike on energy infrastructure.

Strike on a Hospital in Kharkiv: 73 Injured

One of the most severe consequences of the night attack was a hit on a city clinical hospital in Kharkiv. According to the president, 73 people were injured as a result of the strike. The cardiology department, where patients were staying at the time of the attack, was damaged. Emergency services—medics, firefighters, and rescue workers—are working at the scene. Photos from the site capture ambulance crews and fire brigades operating amid autumn weather, with falling leaves and wet asphalt.

Political Message and Appeal to the US

Zelensky directly linked the timing of the strike to the US domestic political cycle, noting that Russia is counting on Washington paying inadequate attention to the signal on congressional election day. "Otherwise, Russia will never stop its missile strikes," the president warned, urging the international community not only to record such attacks but to take measures to stop them. The statement came amid the ongoing war and a series of massive strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, which Kyiv assesses as targeted and aimed at undermining the country's energy stability.

Context: Timing to Congressional Elections

The US midterm congressional elections are taking place on November 3, 2026—on this day, Americans are electing all 435 members of the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate. Timing the massive missile strike to this date, according to Zelensky, is a deliberate tactic: Russia, Kyiv claims, is counting on the attention of American authorities and media being focused on the election campaign on the day of domestic elections rather than on escalation in Ukraine. This is not the first time massive strikes on Ukrainian territory have coincided with key political dates in the US, which, the president said, requires a harsher and more predictable reaction from Washington and its allies.