Russian strike damages Kyiv region substations linking nuclear plants to capital

Russia damaged substations in the Kyiv region connecting the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central Ukraine during a massive overnight attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The strike involved 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles, all targeting the capital and its region. The attack focused on energy infrastructure, leaving Kyiv with difficult conditions for electricity, water, and heating. Residential buildings, the Pivnichnyi Bridge, and a kindergarten were also damaged. Substation damage was reported in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, with nine people injured, including a child. Zelenskyy said Ukraine expects more active assistance from the United States and attention from Congress, urging bipartisan unity on security, support for Ukraine, and stronger sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that American resolve is significant for bringing peace closer.