Russia Strikes Ukrainian Power Grid As Abu Dhabi Talks Begin

KYIV – November 10, 2026

Russian forces struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure in multiple regions overnight, leaving homes without power and killing two people, as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States began two days of talks in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian officials said the attacks targeted substations in the Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad regions. State grid operator Ukrenergo reported strikes on energy facilities in eight regions, with power outages reported in six, including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.

The two fatalities occurred in the Vinnytsia region. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergiy Koretskyi said on Telegram that the strikes hit five major electrical substations. The attacks form part of a renewed Russian air campaign against energy targets as winter approaches. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously accused Russia of seeking to create widespread blackouts ahead of negotiations.

The Abu Dhabi meetings are the first three-way talks involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia since February. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said recent contacts with both sides had narrowed the gaps. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said separately that Russia would not agree to an immediate ceasefire without knowing what would happen next. European representatives, including from France, are expected to attend. Expectations for a breakthrough remain limited.

Ukrainian forces have continued long-range drone strikes on Russian energy and industrial sites in recent weeks. Earlier reports described a Ukrainian strike that set fire to a major refinery near St. Petersburg. Both sides exchanged long-range attacks in the days immediately before the scheduled meetings. Ukrainian military reports listed continued combat activity along the front, with Russian forces using large numbers of drones and guided bombs.

Winter conditions are already affecting the battlefield and civilian infrastructure. Power outages complicate heating, water supply and medical services. Ukrainian air defences continue to intercept large numbers of incoming drones and missiles, but repeated strikes on the grid have forced rolling cuts in several regions. On the Russian side, refinery damage has periodically disrupted fuel supplies, though the scale of disruption has varied.

The talks begin against a backdrop of ongoing attacks rather than a formal ceasefire. Ukrainian officials have said any agreement must include security guarantees. Russian positions have consistently included recognition of territorial control in the east and south. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly suggested that Ukraine’s borders could end up with a different shape under a settlement. Those comments have added another variable to the negotiations.

Casualty rates, energy damage and the approach of winter mean that even limited progress in Abu Dhabi would still leave large parts of Ukraine facing power shortages and active fighting. The confirmed facts on Tuesday are the overnight strikes on energy infrastructure, the reported deaths in Vinnytsia, the power outages in multiple regions, and the start of the three-way talks in Abu Dhabi. No ceasefire has been announced.