CHERNIHIV, UKRAINE—The northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv has been plunged into a total blackout following a “massive” overnight assault by Russian missiles and strike drones targeting critical energy infrastructure. The attack, part of an intensifying Russian campaign to cripple Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter, has left hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity and running water, with repair efforts dangerously hampered by the continued threat of aerial surveillance.
Zero Hour: Darkness Descends
The latest coordinated assault struck the regional power grid late on Tuesday night, with local officials confirming that the city and large parts of the surrounding region lost all electricity supply. The head of the regional military administration, Vyacheslav Chaus, reported a massive attack involving dozens of aerial targets, including both Shahed drones and ballistic missiles.
The immediate impact has been devastating for the civilian population. Chernihiv, a city with a pre-war population near 300,000, is now relying heavily on emergency generators to keep critical services—primarily hospitals and heating systems—partially operational. The municipal water company, Chernihivvodokanal, confirmed pumping stations were running on alternative power, but water pressure remains low, reaching only the lower floors of residential buildings.
The Weaponization of Winter
Ukrainian officials have unequivocally condemned the strikes, calling them a deliberate tactic to “weaponize winter” and terrorize the civilian population as temperatures drop near freezing. This new wave of attacks represents a shift in Russia’s strategy, moving from broad, nationwide strikes to concentrated campaigns targeting specific regional energy hubs, most notably in the border regions of Chernihiv and Sumy.
A particularly disturbing element of the assault is the reported Russian tactic of circling drones over damaged facilities. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry stated this is a deliberate effort to block emergency crews from safely approaching and beginning repair work, prolonging the humanitarian crisis and leaving vulnerable communities in the cold and dark for extended periods.
A Race Against the Cold
As residents scramble to gather water supplies and charge devices at public “Points of Invincibility”—emergency centers equipped with generators—the long-term outlook is grim. Energy workers are facing an almost impossible task: rushing to fix transmission lines and power stations that are repeatedly being targeted.
International humanitarian groups have swiftly condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure, citing them as a clear violation of international law. As the war enters another winter, the destruction of essential services in Chernihiv serves as a stark warning of the humanitarian catastrophe that could unfold across Ukraine unless enhanced air defense capabilities are immediately provided to protect the nation’s fragile energy grid. The question for Chernihiv is no longer just when the power will be restored, but how many more times they will be forced to live through the cold silence of the blackout.