The attack was part of a broader pattern of strikes on Ukraine’s second-largest city, which serves as a regular target due to its proximity to the front line. Earlier on Oct. 11, glide bombs struck the Nemyshlyanskyi district of Kharkiv, killing one person and injuring at least eight others. In a statement regarding the intensity of the campaign, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that in the week alone, Russia launched approximately 1,450 aerial bombs, 75 missiles of various types, and over 1,640 attack drones. He noted that around 60% of these drones were jet-powered.
Separate attacks targeted energy infrastructure in both Kyiv and Kharkiv. Zelensky stated that Russian Shahed drones filled Ukrainian skies throughout the day, resulting in strikes on energy facilities. A power plant in Kyiv was hit by a Shahed drone, cutting power in many districts, while a power plant in Kharkiv was struck later in the evening. These attacks occurred shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the immediate start of an energy truce, claiming both warring sides had agreed to the proposal.
Zelensky stated that he had not been informed of the truce before Trump’s public statement. He added that Ukraine would observe the agreement if Russia did the same. “Ukraine’s Armed Forces have received all the relevant orders,” Zelensky wrote. “We are waiting for clear details of the dialogue between America and Russia, and we expect Putin to do what President Trump said.” He recalled that Ukraine had previously proposed multiple de-escalation steps, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin had consistently responded with refusal. Zelensky described Trump’s statement as good news but emphasized the necessity for it to become reality.
Moscow has not yet commented on the proposed energy truce. The conflict has seen Russia regularly conduct strikes on civilian infrastructure across Ukrainian cities. The immediate impact of the Oct. 11 strikes includes significant civilian casualties in Kharkiv and disruptions to the power grid in both Kyiv and the Kharkiv region. The armed forces of Ukraine have been ordered to adhere to the truce terms pending further clarification from the diplomatic dialogue between the United States and Russia.
