Russia directs 3 drones at vital substation for stable operation of Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant
Key Facts
Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia directed 3 drones at a substation important to the stable operation of the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant, in a large-scale attack on energy facilities on November 3, 2026. He added that the attack involved 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles. Energy facilities were again among the main targets, including power generation, transmission and distribution facilities, he said. The targeting of a substation linked to the operation of a nuclear plant puts the electricity infrastructure at the center of the concerns raised by the attack. Shmyhal said Ukraine had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency about the incident.
In a statement carried by Ukrinform and attributed to the Energy Ministry, Kyiv said energy facilities were attacked in 10 regions. Targets included power plants, substations, electricity networks and combined heat and power plants. Emergency power outages were imposed in Kyiv and six other regions as damage to energy infrastructure spread. The ministry said the attacks struck the supply system in multiple regions, while the Associated Press reported that overnight strikes caused widespread damage and power outages. This comes as winter approaches, after the agency described the attack as targeting more power plants and infrastructure.
Ukraine’s power grid operator Ukrenergo announced hourly outage schedules in some regions throughout November 3, with restrictions ranging from half a group to four groups of outages. Electricity consumption restrictions were in force from 00:00 to 23:59 local time and included industrial consumers in some regions. The measures reflect the impact of the strikes on supply management throughout the day, alongside the physical damage reported by the Energy Ministry. The power company said the restrictions covered regions of Ukraine, while the ministry identified Kyiv and six other regions among the areas experiencing emergency outages. These measures come in addition to the shutdown of DTEK power plants.
DTEK said 3 of its power plants had halted operations following the attack, with no injuries reported at those plants. The units’ shutdown points to a direct blow to generation capacity, alongside restrictions on consumption and emergency outages. The company did not specify in the published information how long the shutdown would last or when operations would resume. On nuclear concerns, Shmyhal said the targeting of the substation threatens nuclear safety in Europe, adding: "These actions threaten not only Ukraine, but nuclear safety across Europe." He described the incident as "a dangerous step in the escalation" and said his country had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The attack comes ahead of U.S.-mediated peace talks scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. The Associated Press said the talks would address postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian issues. The diplomatic round puts the attack on energy facilities in the broader context of efforts to contain escalation, without changing the battlefield facts reported by Ukrainian authorities. Kyiv says the targeting of facilities included the electricity grid and power and heating plants in several regions, while it continues to impose consumption restrictions. The parties are scheduled to discuss security arrangements and humanitarian issues during the talks.