Zelensky Says Russia Preparing New Strikes on Power System and Dnipro Bridges, Urges Faster Patriot Deliveries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says intelligence indicates Russia is preparing fresh strikes on energy infrastructure, civilian sites and bridges over the Dnipro River, and has called on partners to speed up Patriot missile deliveries as air defences brace for attacks.
Ukrainian authorities are warning of new Russian strikes that could hit the country’s power grid and key river crossings at the same time.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address that Ukrainian intelligence had warned of a new Russian strike being prepared against energy infrastructure and bridges across the Dnipro River, as well as other civilian infrastructure. He said Ukraine’s Air Force and other military units are preparing to defend against the threat, and appealed to partners to accelerate deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles, stressing that every day matters.
A Ukrainian‑language message carried the same assessment, citing intelligence that Russia is preparing to hit energy facilities, bridges over the Dnipro and civilian infrastructure. Those warnings fit into a wider Russian campaign that has already damaged energy assets and support centres.
Regional officials reported on Friday that Russian forces attacked an energy infrastructure facility in the Zhytomyr community, according to the Zhytomyr regional administration. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the damage in Zhytomyr had worsened the power situation in the capital and led to a drop in water pressure.
Ukrainian outlets also reported that rescuers were digging for bodies after a Russian bomb reduced a village aid centre to rubble, killing dozens of people inside. That incident is separate from the new warnings but illustrates the human toll when buildings used by civilians are struck.
The broader Russian goal has been described in stark terms by sources cited by the Financial Times, who relayed President Vladimir Putin’s position as seeking to destroy Ukraine’s infrastructure until Kyiv agrees to terms, with a threat that by next year there would be “no bridges, no ports, no railways, no power plants.” A truce at talks in Abu Dhabi next week was described in the same report as unlikely.
Ukraine has tried to impose costs of its own. An earlier report summarising Ukrainian operations said that in October, Ukrainian deep strikes hit seven Russian defence‑industry enterprises and three Russian military airfields.
The United States has separately warned Ukraine of an imminent Russian missile attack within 36 hours, involving up to 24 Kalibr cruise missiles targeting energy infrastructure, according to an OSINT summary. Kyiv was described as remaining in blackout, with residents of the Vynohradar district blocking roads after four days without power.
Against that backdrop, Zelensky’s request for more Patriot systems is aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s ability to intercept the kind of missiles that threaten power plants, bridges and other large targets.
Signals to watch in the coming days include any surge in Russian missile and drone launches reported by Ukraine’s Air Force, confirmed damage to bridges across the Dnipro, and whether Western governments respond to Zelensky’s latest appeal with additional air‑defence commitments or maintain existing timelines.
Sources
- OSINT