In brief
Russian forces fired a ballistic missile that struck the Darnytska CHP-4 power plant in Kyiv, killing two residents and injuring 21. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a violation of the energy ceasefire and called for global accountability. Kyiv’s mayor reported additional damage to a residential tower and power outages across parts of the city. The strike follows weeks of missile raids that have targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure amid diplomatic talks over a ceasefire. Washington’s leadership on the crisis remains unclear as officials weigh the benefits of intelligence sharing and continued military aid.
A key energy facility supplying Kyiv with heating and electricity has been hit in a Russian ballistic missile attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Darnytska CHP-4 (CHPP-4) and a nearby residential building were struck with no early warning from allies, according to President Zelensky. Two people were killed and 21 others injured, Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed, citing damage to an apartment block and multiple energy sites across the city.
The attack comes as Kyiv has received multiple missile strikes since the United States announced an energy ceasefire with Russia, hoped to protect civilians and begin diplomatic talks. The first strike earlier this month forced CHPP-4 to shut down, cutting heating and hot water to more than 1,000 residential buildings, 47 schools, 72 kindergartens, and 18 medical institutions.
Zelensky condemned Russia’s continued targeting of energy infrastructure, stating that “it is absolutely unjust” and that the world must not stay silent. He urged the United States to see what is happening and hold Russia accountable.
The Russian missile barrage on Tuesday was the second night in a row Kyiv endured, and comes as President Zelensky prepares to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at Downing Street to discuss accelerating air defence supplies. Trump has denied suspicions that America cut intelligence sharing that might have prevented the attacks, insisting that the U.S. continues to provide crucial intel to Ukraine.
With the ceasefire still on uncertain terms, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that a pause would allow Ukraine to acquire new weapons from Europe. Meanwhile, Zelensky said a 60‑day ceasefire could allow Ukraine to hold presidential elections, a move reiterated after Trump suggested it was time for Ukraine to get a new president.
The strike on CHPP‑4 follows a February missile attack that rendered the plant inoperable and left vast numbers of civilians without heat or hot water. The plant supplies heating and electricity to the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts, critical to Kyiv’s infrastructure during the cold winter months.
As Kyiv remains under threat, the international community watches the unfolding situation closely, with calls for stronger defence aid and a renewed push for diplomatic resolution to protect civilians from the war’s devastation.
