Russian Strikes Knock Out Power in Five Ukrainian Oblasts, Hit Odesa Market

Russian forces have systematically struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure over the past three days, leaving five oblasts partially without electricity by the morning of 9 September, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attacks add to a pattern of deliberate targeting of civilian power grids that has persisted since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

On 7 September, new power outages were reported in four regions: Donetsk, Odesa, Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. The outages were caused by combat operations and direct Russian strikes on energy facilities, Ukrainska Pravda reported. The precise extent of the damage and the number of households affected has not been disclosed by Ukraine’s Energy Ministry.

The following night, Russian forces struck Odesa’s 7th Kilometre Market, a large commercial area on the city’s outskirts. The attack, which occurred around midnight on 8 September, injured three civilians, according to the same outlet. There were no reports of fatalities. The market is a major hub for wholesale trade and has been hit previously during the war.

By 9 September, the number of oblasts suffering blackouts had grown to five. Ukrainska Pravda stated that “Russian strikes leave five Ukrainian oblasts partially without power,” but did not specify which fifth region was added. Given the geography of recent fighting, it is likely that either Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia or Mykolaiv oblasts have been affected, though this has not been confirmed.

Strategic context

The repeated targeting of Ukraine’s energy grid is a calculated tactic by Moscow. By cutting power to civilian areas, Russia aims to undermine public morale, disrupt daily life and pressure the Ukrainian government. The attacks also complicate the work of Ukraine’s air defence forces, which must prioritise protecting critical infrastructure over other assets.

Ukraine’s energy system has endured wave after wave of drone and missile strikes since October 2022. Ukrainian engineers have become adept at emergency repairs, but the cumulative damage has reduced the country’s generating capacity. The onset of colder weather in September raises the stakes: each outage now risks leaving residents without heating as well as light.

In the four oblasts first hit, local authorities said emergency crews were working to restore power, but the situation remained fluid. No additional casualties were reported from the energy infrastructure strikes. The attack on the Odesa market, which is a civilian commercial site, underscores the indiscriminate nature of the bombardment.

What comes next

Ukraine’s Western allies have supplied air defence systems and transformers to help protect and repair the grid. However, the sheer volume of Russian strikes—often launching dozens of drones and missiles per night—overwhelms defences. The expansion from four to five affected oblasts in two days suggests that Russia is not relenting.

For now, residents in the affected regions face rolling blackouts. The Ukrainian government has urged people to conserve electricity and to charge devices in advance. The open question remains: which oblast became the fifth, and how long will it take to restore full power across the country?