Warning of mass evacuations in Kyiv if all power lost in Putin blitz

UKRAINE’S capital could face widespread evacuations as Russia launches “mass attacks” on the nation’s power grid.

- Mark Reynolds

Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko and President Volodymyr Zelensky sounded warnings yesterday as Vladimir Putin’s forces rained missile and drone strikes on the country’s energy networks.

Planned blackouts were due to hit seven regions yesterday, Ukraine’s state-run energy company said.

They included the city of Kyiv and its regions, plus Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava.

It also emerged occupied Black Sea port city Kherson had lost power for the first time since Russia began its invasion.

Mr Zelensky said: “We understand the terrorist state is concentrating forces and means for a possible repetition of mass attacks on our infrastructure. First of all, energy.

“In particular, for this, Russia needs Iranian missiles. We are preparing to respond.”

His adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine would stand firm using air defence, protecting infrastructure and optimising power consumption.

The warnings came as Ukraine released dramatic images of fighter jets destroying a Russian ammunition convoy in what they claimed were at least a dozen successful hits of important enemy military targets.