Russian forces intensified strikes on Ukraine’s southern energy infrastructure overnight, leaving more than 150,000 people without electricity or heating as winter deepens.

At the same time, President Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow will take full control of the Donbas region “by force of arms” unless Ukrainian troops withdraw.

In the Odesa region, Russian drones hit a DTEK power facility, cutting electricity to 51,800 households. In Kherson city, repeated bombardments forced the shutdown of the main heat-and-power plant, depriving 40,500 customers of heating. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin condemned the assault on the “entirely civilian facility,” calling it “war against the civilian population.” Meanwhile, in the Donetsk region, another 60,000 residents lost power, according to Ukraine’s Energy Ministry.

Kherson remains particularly vulnerable. Since Russian forces retreated across the Dnipro River in November 2022, the frontline city has endured near-constant shelling. The latest strikes form part of Russia’s systematic campaign against Ukraine’s power grid, which has already destroyed roughly half of the country’s generating capacity since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Hours after the attacks, Putin told India Today that Russia intends to seize the remaining Ukrainian-held territory in Donetsk and Luhansk — the two provinces that make up the Donbas. “Either we liberate these territories by force of arms, or Ukrainian troops leave these territories,” he said.

Kyiv has repeatedly rejected any withdrawal, insisting that Moscow must not be rewarded for aggression. Russia currently controls all of Luhansk and more than 80 percent of Donetsk, with about 5,000 square kilometres still under Ukrainian control.

Putin’s comments come amid back-channel talks with the United States. Following a Kremlin meeting on December 2 with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Putin described the discussions as “very useful” and said Russia had accepted some American proposals on Ukraine.