Ukrainian officials say Russia has launched a massive missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector “on a massive scale” overnight into Wednesday, local authorities said, amid intensified bombardment that has left Ukraine in a precarious position as the war grinds into a third winter.

Nearly half a million households were left without power on Christmas Day in frigid weather after further missile attacks by Russia on Ukraine's damaged power grid, according to multiple reports.