2LT International News

Ukraine endures new energy strikes as Russia raises missile fears

Oct 16, 2025

KYIV, Ukraine: Russia launched another wave of overnight strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, intensifying its campaign to cripple the country’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter. At the same time, Moscow expressed “extreme concern” over reports that the United States may supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials said energy facilities in Kyiv, Donetsk, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions were hit. Mykola Kalashnyk, the governor of the Kyiv region, confirmed that two employees of DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, were injured when a substation was struck.

“Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X. He said Russia had launched over 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and 1,360 glide bombs in the past week alone.

Zelenskyy urged tighter secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil, arguing that they “finance this war.” He said he had a “very productive” call with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which they discussed boosting Ukraine’s air defenses, resilience, and long-range strike capabilities, as well as cooperation in the energy sector.

In a Fox News interview following the call, Zelenskyy was asked whether Trump had approved sending Tomahawks. “We work on it,” he replied. “Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see.” Zelenskyy confirmed he was also in discussions with U.S. officials over Tomahawks and additional ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

Trump, who has signaled frustration with Russia’s actions, said last week he had “sort of made a decision” on whether to send the weapons but did not elaborate. A senior Ukrainian delegation is expected to visit Washington this week for further talks.

Reacting to the reports, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the possible U.S. transfer of Tomahawks was “of extreme concern,” warning that global tensions were escalating sharply. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, downplayed the likelihood of such a move, saying Trump “sometimes takes a more forceful approach, and then steps back.”

Ukraine’s energy network remains a key Russian target, with repeated strikes aimed at freezing the country into submission. The latest bombardment followed major drone and missile attacks that wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv and caused widespread power outages. Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described them as “one of the largest concentrated strikes” on Ukraine’s grid to date.

Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted or jammed 103 of 118 drones launched overnight, while Russia claimed to have shot down 32 Ukrainian drones over its own territory. As temperatures begin to drop, Ukraine braces for another winter of Russian strikes designed to break its energy supply and its resolve.