Russian missiles black out parts of Kyiv as energy truce with Trump frays
Ballistic missiles hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv overnight into 14 October, cutting power in several districts. Ukrainian authorities reported at least six deaths across the country, while Moscow airports briefly suspended flights after a large drone attack.
Overnight strikes on Kyiv
Russian forces fired ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight into 14 October, hitting energy infrastructure in the capital and its region, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. Utility Dtek reported emergency power cuts in the Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, Pecherskyi and Solomianskyi districts and in part of Holosiivskyi. Klitschko said at least three people were killed and more than 20 wounded in the city. According to Tgcom24, one missile hit a nine-storey residential building in Desnyanskyi district, setting fire to flats on floors one to eight, and two people died there. Among at least 21 injured was an eight-year-old boy, and 16 of the wounded were hospitalised, four of them in serious condition. Debris also started a fire near a stadium in Darnytskyi, and rescuers evacuated residents from damaged buildings.
Earlier, on the evening of 13 October, Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had struck thermal power plant No. 4 in Kyiv and a nine-storey building. The Ukrainian air force said it had received no prior surveillance warning before the ballistic launch.
The causes are being investigated.
Residents heard explosions before air-raid sirens sounded, which officials said was rare in the past and which they attributed to missiles that are hard to detect or to possible technical problems. Zelensky said partners had not warned Ukraine, the second time this week, and he spoke by phone with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney about the attack.
- Trump announces an energy ceasefire on Truth Social
- Russia fires six ballistic missiles at Kyiv late on Monday
- Zelensky says Russia hit thermal power plant No. 4 in Kyiv
- Ballistic missile strikes cut power in several Kyiv districts
Casualties across Ukraine
Authorities reported at least six deaths overnight: three in Kyiv, two in the Dnipropetrovsk region and one in the Zaporizhzhia region. Reuters, reporting on Tuesday 13 October, said four people were killed by Russian strikes in Kharkiv, and Ukrainian officials said at least a dozen were injured across the country.
Russia's defence ministry said its strikes had damaged communication and energy infrastructure in the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions, using ground-based precision weapons and drones. In its daily summary of overnight strikes on Tuesday, however, the ministry made no mention of Ukrainian energy facilities. One missile came down just over a kilometre from a plant providing heating to much of Lviv in western Ukraine.
- Kyiv
- 3 people
- Dnipropetrovsk
- 2 people
- Zaporizhzhia
- 1 people
Drone attacks on Moscow and Russian regions
Russian air defences repelled an attack of 180 drones aimed at the Moscow region overnight, Tass reported, citing Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Sobyanin later said Ukrainian forces had launched 493 drones at the capital region, most of them neutralised at long range and 180 destroyed as they approached the city. Four Moscow airports, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo, temporarily suspended flights, and all resumed operations at 6:44 Moscow time. Vnukovo halted flights for eight hours, and passengers already aboard aircraft were disembarked.
In the Saratov region, Governor Roman Busargin said one person was killed in a drone attack overnight. In the Rostov region, Governor Yuri Slyusar said a large air attack had been repelled.
Energy truce under strain
Donald Trump announced an 'energy ceasefire' on Sunday, 11 October, on Truth Social, saying Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop long-range attacks on power plants and oil refineries. The announcement came two days after Trump declared a deal lifting US sanctions on Russian diesel exports, which would let Russia supply almost 2 million metric tons, a move he framed as a way to lower US fuel prices.
Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine had not struck Russian refineries or the energy sector for two days, while Russian forces kept attacking energy facilities and critical infrastructure, with 19 Ukrainian provinces hit in those two days. A Kremlin spokesman said contacts were ongoing but gave no further details. Trump has blamed Ukrainian refinery strikes for a sharp rise in US diesel prices, though most analysts say the war in Iran has had a far greater impact. US officials have reportedly threatened to cut intelligence sharing and weapons sales unless Ukraine halts strikes on Russian refineries.
- Trump announces an energy ceasefire on Truth Social
- Russia fires six ballistic missiles at Kyiv late on Monday
- Zelensky says Russia hit thermal power plant No. 4 in Kyiv
- Ballistic missile strikes cut power in several Kyiv districts
What comes next
Zelensky was due to visit the United Kingdom on 14 October for talks with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. Trump's Republicans face Congressional midterm elections on 3 November, and fuel prices are a political issue for the party.