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Why Ukraine's power cuts spread on 22 October 2022
Summary
A look back at how strikes on energy sites and reports of Iranian drone support shaped the security picture.
What did the blackouts of 22 October 2022 reveal about the stage the war had reached? Power outages were reported across Ukraine, and citizens were advised to store water, as Russian airstrikes across the country continued to damage critical infrastructure and energy facilities.
The pattern had been visible for two days. On 20 October 2022, a Russian missile struck a major thermal power station in Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk said it caused "quite serious damage". The site lies in the west of the country, far from the front line, and the strike showed that energy facilities in many regions were being hit.
The advice to store water pointed to the practical consequences for civilians: a damaged power system affects more than lighting and heating, and households were urged to prepare for disruption.
The Iranian drone dimension
Also on 20 October 2022, the United States reported that Iranian troops were in Crimea, assisting the Russian military in using Iranian drones. Taken together with the strikes on energy sites, this gave the security picture an external dimension, with a third country reported to be involved in supporting Russian operations.
By 22 October 2022, the effect of the attacks was being felt across the country rather than in a single region. Outages, water-storage advice and damage to energy facilities defined the day, and they set out the pressure on Ukraine's infrastructure as autumn went on.
