Russia targets Ukraine's natural gas facilities in biggest attack of war

Russia launched its largest strike yet in the war on Ukraine overnight, targeting natural gas facilities managed by Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz, officials said on Friday. The raid coincided with new diplomatic activity: US President Donald Trump recently claimed that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations.

Ukraine’s air force reported that the assault included 381 drones and 35 missiles, in what officials believe was an attempt to cripple Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter and sap public resolve.

“This is deliberate terror against civilian facilities that provide gas extraction and processing for the normal life of people,” Serhii Koretskyi, CEO of Naftogaz, said. “It has no military purpose. This is yet another act of Russian malice aimed solely at disrupting the heating season and depriving Ukrainians of warmth in winter.”

He added that Russia had specially targeted gas extraction and processing installations in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions, many suffering significant damage.

In response, Russia’s ministry of defence said its forces used drones and guided munitions to hit Ukraine’s military-industrial base and the energy infrastructure supporting it, claiming “all designated targets were hit”.

This escalation mirrors a recurring tactic: as winters approach, Russia has repeatedly bombarded Ukraine’s electricity and heating systems in an apparent campaign to weaponise infrastructure and intensify civilian suffering.

Ukrainian long-range drones An-196 attack a russian refinery - 1500 km from the borders of Ukraine. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/hWYkKTbPBs

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) October 3, 2025

Trump steps back from Ukraine peace efforts; Europe faces urgent security challenges

Ukraine also struck back in kind. Domestic long-range drones targeted the Orsk oil refinery — some 1,400 km from Ukraine’s border — while a separate strike temporarily halted operations at Russia’s Azot chemical plant in Berezniki, over 1,500 km from Moscow.

Russian air defences intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones overnight — most over the Black Sea, the Russian defence ministry said.

Several civilians were wounded in the raid on Poltava, including an 8-year-old child and two women. One blast also damaged approximately half the windows of St Nicholas Church, a protected architectural monument in the city.

#Ukraine | “This war needs to end," @UNHumanRights chief @volker_turk told the @UN Human Rights Council.

"All negotiations and peace initiatives need to prioritize the protection of civilians, and uphold the dignity and rights of all," he said.#HRC60 pic.twitter.com/Ou8QmqiqZN

— UN Human Rights Council | #HRC60 (@UN_HRC) October 3, 2025

In May, Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately” commence ceasefire talks after separate calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though diplomatic observers cautioned that progress would be slow.

Trump has since shown interest in shifting US support toward intelligence sharing and backing more aggressive strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, a move many interpret as leverage to bring Moscow to the negotiating table.

Diplomats note that any credible ceasefire deal would have to restrict Russia’s capacity for renewed assault while strengthening Ukraine’s defences.

However, past ceasefire efforts have faltered repeatedly. Moscow’s demands in prior negotiations have included retaining captured territory and securing international recognition of its annexations — conditions unacceptable to Kyiv.

The overnight attack underscores just how volatile the battlefield remains even as diplomatic overtures intensify. Whether ceasefire talks can keep pace with Russia’s escalating bombardments — and whether they can produce enforceable restrictions on further assaults — remains deeply uncertain.

With AP/PTI inputs