Kyiv Says Russia Pounded Energy Sites 18 Times in One Day

Russia hammered Ukrainian energy facilities 18 times over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's defense minister Denys Shmyhal said Saturday. He passed the figure to German Economic Affairs Minister Katherina Reiche during a call, according to a ministry statement, framing it as proof Ukraine urgently needs more military help from its allies. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had already made similar appeals earlier in the day.

Sybiha went further, accusing Moscow of running a deliberate campaign to make civilian life unbearable — and argued the campaign could be classified as genocide. In a post on X, he said Russia launched ballistic missiles and drones overnight against critical energy infrastructure, adding that Moscow is intentionally trying to strip millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heating and water as winter closes in. He urged Ukraine's allies to step up.

Zelensky aimed his message at Washington, saying he hopes the new US Congress will give Ukraine more attention. He wrote on social media that support for Ukraine must stay among US policy priorities and that he's counting on both parties to stand united on security, backing for Kyiv, condemning Russian aggression and turning up sanctions pressure on Vladimir Putin. He also condemned the latest wave of strikes.

The overnight barrage was heavy. Ukraine's Air Forces said Russia fired 172 drones of the Shahed, Gerbera and Parodiya types, and that 149 were intercepted, according to a Telegram post. The military added that four Russian missiles were also neutralized.

Diplomacy is still moving. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Russia will send Igor Kostyukov, head of its military intelligence agency, to trilateral talks with the United States and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday, per Interfax. The delegation includes Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, deputy foreign ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, and senior General Staff officer Yuri Zhigarlovsky, plus other military and diplomatic officials. The talks are expected to cover ending the war, postwar security arrangements and de-escalation.