KYIV — More than 600,000 people in the Kyiv region are without power after overnight Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday.

Ukraine’s energy ministry reported that more than 500,000 of those affected were in the capital itself, with the remainder in surrounding districts.

The ministry said the outages were caused by waves of missile and drone attacks targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and several other regions.

Ukrainian authorities said Russia launched around 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones in the overnight assault, killing three people and injuring dozens.

The strikes are part of a renewed campaign against Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure as the country heads into winter, despite continued US-led efforts to broker a peace agreement.

Russia’s defence ministry said it carried out “a massive strike” on Ukrainian defence-industry sites and the energy systems supporting them.

Ukrainian officials said multiple residential buildings were also hit, with loud explosions reported across the capital in the early morning hours.

Emergency services responded to burning apartment blocks in Kyiv, where Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said 29 people were injured, including a 13-year-old child.

Ukraine’s Air Force said it intercepted 558 drones and 19 missiles.

Kyiv has endured repeated waves of aerial bombardment since February 2022. Previous winters have brought widespread blackouts due to targeted attacks on power infrastructure.

Temperatures in the capital are forecast to fall to 2°C on Sunday, with sub-zero conditions expected in December.

Ukraine has also struck Russian energy facilities, including oil refineries and depots, using long-range weapons. Kyiv says the strikes aim to limit revenue funding Moscow’s war effort.

The latest bombardment comes as Ukrainian officials prepare for talks with US envoys in pursuit of a ceasefire.

President Donald Trump is pressing Kyiv and Moscow to accept a revised draft peace plan, initially viewed as heavily favourable to Russia but adjusted after consultations with Ukraine and European allies.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed diplomatic engagement while insisting Ukraine must preserve both its sovereignty and its ability to defend against future aggression.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated his conditions for ending the war, demanding that Ukrainian troops withdraw from all Moscow-claimed territory.

Russian forces currently control most of the eastern Donbas region and parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. US and European partners have suggested freezing the conflict along current front lines.

Putin also confirmed that a US delegation, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, is expected in Moscow early next week for further discussions on the draft peace proposal. — Agencies