Updated

Russian forces launched one of their largest assaults of the war on Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight from October 16 into 17, firing more than 320-330 drones, Kalibr and Iskander-type ballistic missiles at over 15 generation and transmission facilities nationwide. Ukraine's air defenses reported downing 289-293 of the aerial threats, but strikes still knocked out power in Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and other regions, leaving tens of thousands of customers without electricity and damaging the Zaporizhstal steel plant and a Lutsk auto-parts factory supplying BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. President Volodymyr Zelensky called it one of Russia's largest strikes on the energy system ahead of winter and urged partners for more air defense support. Separate Russian shelling also hit the Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring several people, as emergency crews across multiple oblasts switched critical infrastructure to backup generators.