January 20th Russian Assault Leaves 173,000 Kyiv Residents Without Power.

Widespread Power Outages in Ukraine Following Major Russian Attack

According to Novyny.live: Ukraine is dealing with the aftermath of a large-scale Russian assault on its energy infrastructure that took place on January 20th. Emergency power consumption restrictions are now in effect across multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv and its surrounding area. In Kyiv alone, 173,000 customers remain without electricity, which constitutes approximately 75% of the city's population. These attacks are part of a prolonged Russian campaign to target civilian energy supplies during the winter.

The most severe situations are currently reported not only in Kyiv, but also in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Poltava regions. The assault on the energy infrastructure powering the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant occurred during the night of January 19-20, 2026. Despite this attack, the Chernobyl plant has now been reconnected to Ukraine's Integrated Power System and is operating normally.

Response from Energy Companies

Specialists from Ukrenergo and other utility companies are working to restore power to all affected customers or at least significantly reduce outage times in every Ukrainian region. However, as Ukrenergo representatives noted, the energy grid requires additional support to achieve this. The country's power system has been severely degraded by repeated missile and drone strikes over the past two years.

Furthermore, thanks to coordinated efforts by energy workers, all facilities of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant State Enterprise, including the New Safe Confinement and spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, have also been reconnected to Ukraine's national grid and are functioning normally, according to the Ministry of Energy.

The current electricity supply situation in Ukraine remains difficult. The ongoing efforts of energy companies will focus on restoring power to the customers who are still without it.

This massive attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure underscores the continuation of Russian military actions and their direct consequences for the civilian population. The work of utility companies striving to restore power under wartime conditions highlights the critical need for sustained international support in this sector.

— Source: Ministry of Energy

Mitigating the attack's damage and rebuilding the energy system are crucial tasks for ensuring stability and safety for Ukraine's population.