Ukraine updates: Power returns to Kyiv after Russian strike

Dozens of towns in Ukraine's southwestern Odessa region have been left without power after widespread Russian drone attacks overnight, authorities say, as two energy workers were killed in the northern Chernihiv region.

Energy infrastructure in the southern city of Odessa and surrounding areas was damaged, according to civil defense officials and the prosecutor's office. Fires broke out at an energy plant and a three-story building belonging to a hotel and restaurant complex. One woman was injured and two people were rescued, officials said. A total of 41 towns across the region lost power.

In Chernihiv, two energy company employees were killed when drones hit service vehicles near the border town of Semenivka, civil defense authorities said on Telegram. One man died at the scene, and the second later in hospital. Four other workers were injured.

In the region's central Nizhyn district, drones also targeted infrastructure facilities, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished. "Despite the danger of repeated strikes, Chernihiv's rescue workers are continuing their work at an increased pace to help those affected and deal with the consequences of the Russian attacks," authorities said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump as "positive and productive," saying they discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and possible steps toward peace.

Zelenskyy said on X that the two leaders talked about Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system and "concrete agreements" to improve air protection. "There are good options and solid ideas on how to truly strengthen us," he wrote.

In a separate post on Facebook, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump on his Middle East peace deal, calling it "an outstanding achievement." He added: "If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well — including the Russian war."

The United Kingdom said two Royal Air Force aircraft flew a 12-hour mission earlier this week alongside United States and NATO forces to patrol Russia's border.

The NATO operation follows a series of recent Russian drone and aircraft incursions into NATO airspace, sparking condemnation and threats from the military alliance.

"This was a substantial joint mission with our US and NATO allies," Defense Minister John Healey said.

"Not only does this provide valuable intelligence to boost the operational awareness of our Armed Forces, but [it] sends a powerful message of NATO unity to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and our adversaries."

The jets flew from the Arctic region past Belarus and Ukraine on Thursday, supported by a US Air Force refueling aircraft.

Britain said the operation followed incursions into the airspaces of NATO countries, including Poland, Romania and Estonia in recent weeks.

Ukraine's largest private energy firm said power was restored to most Kyiv residents on Saturday, a day after Russia struck the war-torn country's power grid.

DTEK said "the main work to restore the power supply" had been completed, but warned of some localized disruption.

Some 800,000 residents of the Ukrainian capital lost power in Friday's attacks, as well as in eight other regions of the country.

DTEK later said it had restored power to 240,000 homes in Ukraine's Odesa region.

Moscow said it had used Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and strike drones to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The strikes killed two people and wounded at least 20 others nationwide, also damaging residential buildings, officials said.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko described the attack as "one of the largest concentrated strikes" against Ukraine's power grid.

Since 2022, Russia has tried each year to cripple Ukraine's energy supply ahead of the bitter winter season, in a bid to erode public morale.

NATO should expect further disruptive measures from Russia, Estonia's foreign minister said in reaction to last month's airspace violation into the Baltic nation.

"I'm really sure that Russia will continue these provocations. It's not about Estonia, it's about NATO unity, as well as testing our capabilities, to also transatlantic unity," Margus Tsahkna told DPA news agency on the sidelines of the Tallinn Digital Summit.

In September, three Russian fighter jets entered the airspace of the European Union and NATO member state for about 12 minutes.

The government in Tallinn requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and consultations with its allies under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty.

The military alliance later threatened the use of force if Russia staged future border violations.

Tsahkna joined neighbors Latvia and Lithuania in calling for NATO's mission to monitor Baltic airspace to be converted into a genuine defense operation.

"We are supporting this idea," said Tsahkna, urging that the mission be upgraded with improved air-defense capabilities.

Russia's staunchest ally Belarus said it has begun inspecting the combat readiness of the country's military.

The Defense Ministry said as part of the checks, "a number" of units will redeploy to unspecified "designated areas" and carry out undisclosed activities.

The ministry did not give details about the timing, scope, or scale of the inspection.

Such inspections are not uncommon in Belarus. However, this one follows the "Zapad" joint strategic exercises with Russia in September.

The war games included rehearsals for the launch of Russian tactical nuclear weapons and featured the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.

Belarus maintains a close alliance with Russia, heavily reliant on Moscow for economic and military support, with President Alexander Lukashenko often aligning with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's policies.

Twenty-three Ukrainian children and adolescents have been brought out of Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to territory under Kyiv's control, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy's chief of staff said.

Andriy Yermak, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the rescue was carried out under the president's "Bring Kids Back UA" program aimed at bringing to safe areas children deported to Russia or confined to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

Yermak said those returning included two sisters who refused to attend Russian schools made by Russia-installed authorities, despite threats to remove them from their mother's care.

Kyiv said another child and her mother were refused permission to leave occupied areas as one of their relatives was serving in the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine says Russia has illegally deported or forcibly displaced more than 19,500 children to Russia and Belarus in violation of the Geneva Conventions. 

Research by Yale's School of Public Health, published in September, suggests the number could be closer to 35,000.

Moscow insists the children were moved to be safe from wartime hostilities.

DW brings you the latest on Russia's war in Ukraine, where residents of the capital, Kyiv, have had power restored in the last few hours, following major Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities.

Ukraine says it has rescued 23 children, illegally deported to Russian-occupied territory.

Estonia has warned NATO that Russia will attempt to stage other provocations, following last month's airspace incursion of the Baltic nation by Moscow.

Belarus, meanwhile, says it is testing the readiness of its military, a month after the latest round of joint military maneuvers with Russia.