Russia Launches Mass Strikes on Ukraine Gas Infrastructure, Power Restoration Efforts Underway

Russian forces have intensified attacks on Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, targeting gas production facilities in Poltava and Kharkiv regions ahead of the heating season, aiming to disrupt power supply and create hardships for civilians. Ukrainian emergency crews have been actively restoring power in northern regions including Sumy, Chernihiv, and Slavutych, despite ongoing drone and rocket attacks that caused widespread outages affecting hundreds of thousands of people. The strategic city of Pokrovsk remains under heavy pressure from Russian assaults, with frequent attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses, though Ukrainian forces report repelling these incursions and inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops. Ukrainian officials emphasize the challenge of protecting energy infrastructure and advocate for mirrored strikes against Russian oil and gas targets to disrupt their logistics and fuel supplies. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the United States against supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, threatening escalation, while Ukrainian leaders continue diplomatic efforts to secure additional military aid and support for reconstruction. The recent drone attack on Slavutych briefly cut power to the Chornobyl nuclear plant, raising concerns about nuclear safety in the region.