Russian Strike Ignites Kyiv’s Darnytsia Power and Heating Plant, Knocking Out Electricity to District
A Russian strike set Kyiv’s Darnytsia combined heat and power plant ablaze, cutting electricity in the Dniprovskyi district and threatening heating for two eastern districts of the capital, as Ukraine reported fresh damage from overnight attacks across the country.
A Russian strike on Kyiv’s Darnytsia combined heat and power (CHP) plant has triggered a large fire and power loss across part of the city’s east bank, putting critical electricity and heating services at risk as fresh nationwide attacks hit civilian sites.
Footage from Kyiv shows the Darnytsia CHP plant in the capital’s Dniprovskyi district burning after the strike. The video also captures the moment the surrounding district suddenly loses power at around the 21‑second mark. Local reporting on 26 October said the plant supplied heat to both the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts of Kyiv. The full scale of the damage and the resulting loss of generation or heating capacity were not immediately clear.
Ukraine’s air force said the same morning that its air defenses responded to a large mixed attack. According to the report, Ukrainian forces shot down 3 out of 3 Kh‑59/69 air‑launched missiles and 112 out of 140 hostile drones. An anti‑radiation missile of the Kh‑31P type was also involved but was not intercepted. Despite those claimed interception rates, the military acknowledged that Russian munitions struck 15 locations, with debris from downed weapons falling on four additional sites.
Regional authorities in Zaporizhzhia reported that Russian forces hit the city overnight. The attack damaged private houses, a commercial site and cars, and injured four people, according to the regional administration. Separately, more footage circulated of strikes on bridges in Zaporizhzhia, though there was no immediate official confirmation of the extent of the damage to those crossings.
The attack on Darnytsia CHP underscores the vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy network. Combined heat and power plants both generate electricity and feed centralized district heating systems that supply hot water and warmth to apartment blocks and public buildings. A serious hit on a plant of this kind can leave large urban areas facing power cuts and, if repairs are slow, potential heating shortages.
For grid operators and emergency services, nights like this mean rerouting power flows around damaged sites and deploying repair crews under the threat of repeat strikes. Air defense units must decide how to position limited systems between frontline needs and the protection of energy infrastructure in cities such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.
The air force’s claim that 112 of 140 drones were brought down indicates a high interception rate compared with earlier phases of the war. Yet the reported 15 impact locations show how even a smaller number of missiles or drones that evade defenses can still damage key infrastructure and trigger wider disruptions.
In the coming days, key indicators will include how quickly Kyiv authorities restore stable electricity in the Dniprovskyi district, any announcements about heating service in Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi, and whether national officials warn of planned or emergency power outages. Further reports of strikes on power plants or bridges would signal that Russian forces are continuing to focus on Ukraine’s urban infrastructure.
Sources
- OSINT