Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow launches massive attack on Kyiv’s energy system amid fallout over Putin general shooting

Ukraine has been forced to halt its production over nuclear power amid ongoing military activity, International Atomic Energy Agency said on Saturday.

“Ukraine’s NPPs reduced power output again this morning after renewed military activity affected electrical substations and disconnected some power lines, IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi says,” the statement on X read.

“DG Grossi reiterates call for restraint as worsening grid situation compromises nuclear safety.”

A top Russian military general, said to be involved in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, was shot outside his Moscow apartment in an alleged assassination attempt.

An unidentified gunman fired several shots at Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence arm, before fleeing the scene, the investigators said.

It is the latest in a series of assassination attempts Russia has blamed on Ukraine.

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Russia launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles on Saturday to attack Ukraine's energy sector, targeting the power grid, generation facilities, and distribution substations, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"Every day, Russia could choose real diplomacy, but it chooses new strikes," Zelensky posted on X.

"It is crucial that everyone who supports the trilateral negotiations respond to this. Moscow must be deprived of the ability to use the cold as leverage against Ukraine."

Two airports in southeastern Poland were suspended from operations as a precaution due to Russian strikes on nearby Ukrainian territory, Polish authorities said this morning.

"In connection with the need to ensure the possibility of the free operation of military aviation, the airports in Rzeszow and Lublin have temporarily suspended flight operations," the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency posted on X.

Both cities are close to the country's border with Ukraine, with Rzeszow being Nato's main hub for arms supplies to Ukraine.

Military aviation had begun operating in Polish airspace due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.

"These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to the threatened regions," the army said.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia fired over 400 drones and 40 missiles in an overnight attack which targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The main targets were the energy grid, generational facilities, and distribution substations.

The repeated Russian aerial assaults have in recent months focused on Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts and disrupting the heating and water supply for families during a bitterly cold winter.

Russia launched a massive air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities overnight, targeting electricity generation and distribution, energy minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"Russian criminals carried out another massive attack on Ukraine's energy facilities. The attack continues," Shmyhal said on Telegram. "Energy workers are ready to start repair works as soon as the security situation allows."

The government launched emergency cut-offs of power across the country, he said.

Airspace in southeastern Poland has been closed again in recent hours due to "unplanned military activity", according to FlightRadar24.

Lublin Airport is not accessible due to the military activity involving Nato aircraft operating in the area, the flight tracking service posted on X.

Eastern Poland's Rzeszow and Lublin airports suspended operations for a time last month, citing routine operations and no threat to Polish airspace.

Explosions were heard in Vinnytsia and Burshtyn areas in the Ivano-Frankivsk region amid a missile threat, according to reports.

According to the Air Force, a high-speed target was heading toward Vinnytsia, while monitoring channels suggested it could have been Zircon cruise missiles, RBC Ukraine reported.

Vinnytsia’s regional military chief Nataliia Zabolotna said the area was under a “massive” air assault, adding that a strike had hit a piece of critical infrastructure, though no casualties were reported.