A large-scale Russian drone attack has cut off power in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, leaving thousands of people without electricity and heating, reports "Agence France-Presse".
Against this backdrop, temperatures have dropped below freezing.
Russia has launched almost daily drone and missile attacks on its neighbor since it began its war in February 2022.
As in previous winters, Moscow has intensified its strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, causing disruptions to heating and water supplies. Kiev and its allies say it is a deliberate strategy to exhaust the civilian population.
"The enemy carried out a massive drone attack on the energy infrastructure of several regions," state-owned operator "Ukrenergo" said shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
"As a result, most consumers in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, including regional centers, were left without electricity."
Military chief Vladislav Gayvanenko said that Dnipropetrovsk's critical energy infrastructure was damaged in the attack.
"The situation is difficult. "As soon as the security situation allows, energy workers will begin restoration work," he wrote on Telegram.
In Zaporozhye, power supply had been restored to "key facilities", but most consumers were still without power, Ivan Fedorov reported.
"We are working around the clock to restore power to all consumers as soon as possible," he stressed, adding that water supplies had largely been restored.
Kiev responded to the long-standing shelling of its energy grid with strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries in an attempt to cut off Moscow's vital energy exports and cause fuel shortages.