Russia hits Ukraine power grid again; Zelenskyy says nation got no early warning from partners

Russia struck Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight with ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, hitting 28 substations and critical facilities, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The barrage killed a 21-year-old woman in the Kyiv region and deprived more than half a million people of electricity, heat, and running water. Zelenskyy said Ukraine received no advance warning from partner nations for the first wave of attacks, and intelligence on a second wave arrived too late to activate air raid sirens in time. Air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat confirmed the lack of timely warning on national television.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it targeted a data center, a logistics hub for drone and missile components, an industrial facility producing drone parts, a locomotive depot storing missiles, and a bulk carrier in the Black Sea bound for Odesa with military supplies. The assault comes as Zelenskyy navigates shifting U.S. policy under President Donald Trump, who has waived sanctions on Moscow and signed a deal to import Russian diesel. Trump has accused Zelenskyy of not wanting the war to end, while U.S. efforts to broker a truce covering energy infrastructure have failed.

Zelenskyy said detrimental speed limits remain on Ukraine's use of the military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, slowing drones along the front lines despite full service being restored late last week. He also cited a severe shortage of American-made Patriot air defense systems and delays in other vital U.S. supplies, prompting senior Kyiv officials to urgently seek air defense assistance from other countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday he had no information about the previous night's Russian attack, while maintaining Washington has not stopped intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Moscow and Kyiv were discussing the possible evacuation of the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the southern Kherson region. A Ukrainian human rights official said about 2,000 residents have been cut off from food and medical supplies for months. Western analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he can outlast foreign support for Ukraine, leveraging Russia's larger military to wear down Kyiv's defenses.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal