Russia unleashed a large-scale overnight drone and missile assault across Ukraine on Friday, killing a child and injuring at least 24 people, as Kyiv and several other regions suffered widespread damage and power outages.

Ukrainian officials reported that parts of the capital were left without electricity and water following the barrage, which also targeted the country’s energy infrastructure — a tactic Russia has intensified ahead of the winter months.

According to local authorities, at least twelve people were injured in Kyiv, while in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a seven-year-old boy was killed and seven others wounded. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five civilians sustained injuries.

The attacks prompted emergency power shutdowns in multiple regions as strikes hit critical energy facilities.

Loud explosions rocked Kyiv at around 2:30 a.m. local time, followed by additional detonations an hour later. Eyewitnesses and journalists from The Kyiv Independent described seeing bright flashes in the sky as air defense systems attempted to intercept incoming missiles.

“From the explosions that just occurred — a ballistic missile attack is ongoing. Missiles, one after another, air defense is active,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirming ongoing strikes at around 2:41 a.m.

The Ukrainian military reported that air defense units successfully intercepted several incoming missiles, but some managed to strike energy and residential targets. Emergency crews were deployed across Kyiv to extinguish fires and rescue people trapped under debris.

The overnight strikes are part of Russia’s renewed campaign to cripple Ukraine’s power grid and essential infrastructure before winter. Similar campaigns last year left millions of Ukrainians without heat or electricity during freezing temperatures.

Authorities warned that Russia may continue targeting energy facilities as the weather grows colder, aiming to weaken civilian morale and pressure Ukraine’s government.

The deadly assault coincided with the U.S. Senate’s approval of a massive $925 billion defense budget bill for fiscal year 2026, which includes $500 million in security assistance for Ukraine.

The legislation marks a $100 million increase over the version passed earlier by the U.S. House of Representatives and extends assistance for Kyiv through 2028, underscoring Washington’s continued commitment to support Ukraine amid the ongoing war.

Funds will be distributed under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) — a Pentagon-led program that supplies arms, equipment, and training to Ukraine through contracts with U.S. defense companies.

The defense bill also strengthens cooperation with regional allies and reaffirms the U.S. military’s support for NATO operations in Eastern Europe.

Lawmakers said the funding reflects bipartisan consensus on the need to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities as the war nears its third year.

As Ukraine braces for more winter attacks, international observers warn that Russia’s aerial campaign could worsen the humanitarian crisis across the country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the latest strikes as “terror against civilians,” calling for faster delivery of Western air defense systems and energy infrastructure protection.

Meanwhile, power companies have urged Ukrainians to conserve electricity amid emergency repairs, warning of rolling blackouts in the coming days. (ILKHA)