Kharkiv preparing for its hardest winter as Russia destroys two substations – Mayor

"This is a serious blow to the capacities of Kharkivoblenergo (an electricity company that focuses on power generation and distribution in the Kharkiv region - ed.). And judging by the dynamics of the attacks, it is already clear that the coming winter will be the hardest for Kharkiv in all the years of the war," Terekhov said.

According to him, about 22,000 consumers were left without electricity during the night, while now the number is around 3,500. Such progress was made possible thanks to the round-the-clock and coordinated efforts of Kharkivoblenergo energy workers and the city’s utility services.

He noted that at present, the city, Kharkivoblenergo, and the country’s overall energy system still have the capacity to handle this, though it is limited.

"We need to face the truth: Russia will not stop its terror attempts. It will continue trying to deprive our people of life, to plunge them into cold and darkness. And at any moment, a new strike on critical infrastructure could occur, destroying in seconds what we have been building and restoring for months. Unfortunately, such situations have happened more than once in the past, and they are happening now. That’s why we must always be prepared for anything,” he stated.

Russian air attacks

Last night, Russian forces once again attacked Ukraine with Shahed kamikaze drones. Kharkiv was the main target, where private houses were damaged and several people were hospitalized with acute stress reactions.

Yesterday, Russia also launched Shaheds at the city, with locals reporting more than 10 explosions in Kharkiv.

Earlier, on the night of October 1, the Russian army attacked Kharkiv and the region with missiles and guided aerial bombs. As a result of the strikes, market stalls caught fire, there was destruction, and people were injured.