Large parts of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv remain without electricity after Russian forces again struck energy infrastructure in the region on the evening of 20 October, leaving the city and much of the surrounding area in blackout. 

The ongoing power crisis in Chernihiv underscores the impact of Russia’s escalating campaign against Ukraine’s energy network, leaving the city struggling to maintain electricity, heat, and water as cold weather sets in.

Dmytro Bryzhynskyi, head of the Chernihiv City Military Administration, said the situation in the city’s power sector remains critical and it is currently impossible to predict when electricity will be restored. 

Energy workers are working around the clock to restore power but are hampered by ongoing drone activity over damaged facilities. Critical infrastructure has been switched to alternative energy sources. 

The city has opened 22 public “Points of Invincibility” offering free electricity, staffed by police and emergency personnel, with nearby water distribution points.

Authorities have urged residents to conserve electricity. They also warn against sharing photos, videos, or details about strike sites, air defense activity, or the status of utilities, saying Russia uses this information to target infrastructure.

Chernihiv's October power crisis

Chernihiv has been the most severely affected major Ukrainian city in Russia’s renewed campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent months. 

The city’s location near the borders with Russia and Belarus makes it especially vulnerable and a frequent target for Russian strikes.

Power outages and heating shutdowns began in early October, after a Russian drone strike on 1 October hit an energy facility in nearby Slavutych, forcing widespread blackouts, water shortages, and boiler shutdowns in the city.

Rolling and emergency outages have continued since, with the grid overloaded and some areas disconnected beyond scheduled blackout hours to prevent a total system collapse.

Street lighting remains switched off to conserve power, and earlier this month schools and kindergartens briefly moved to remote learning.

Chernihiv now faces some of the worst energy conditions in Ukraine as Russia intensifies its strikes on energy infrastructure ahead of winter, targeting thermal plants and substations across multiple regions.