Streets in Odessa, Ukraine, were blocked on Thursday by local residents protesting against prolonged power outages, showcasing the difficulties the Ukrainian population faces in response to sustained Russian attacks against energy infrastructure.
“I understand people’s feelings. It’s hard and tiring to be without electricity for days,” Odessa regional governor Oleh Kiper wrote on his Telegram page, as cited by Mandiner. He also urged residents to remain calm.
Kiper said that Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities caused the power outage, and that restoration work would be complicated by further attacks. Asking for understanding for the current situation, the governor added that authorities were providing emergency housing for those in need.
The Strana newspaper also published a video showing protesters blocking traffic on a street, causing a traffic jam. Similar actions have been reported in recent days from Dnipropetrovsk and Chernomorsk. The current power outage in the Odessa region was caused by a massive Russian missile and drone attack that occurred early Saturday.
The Ukrainian energy network has been severely weakened during the years of war, and authorities in other regions of the country are also forced to suspend electricity supply for longer periods of time to allow for repair work and to prevent network overload.
On social media, accounts also reported a drone strike on the bridge over the Dniester River in the Odessa region. Combined with the security checks on traffic due to the latest Russian strikes, a key Western supply route for Ukraine has been shut down for now.
💥– Geran drone strike on the bridge over the Dniester River in the village of Mayaki in the Odessa region.
❗️Although a drone strike is unlikely to cause serious damage to the bridge, traffic to several checkpoints on the Ukrainian–Moldovan border in the Odessa region has been… pic.twitter.com/RmXgk7dyfA
— Tony (@Cyberspec1) December 18, 2025With Black Sea shipping largely restricted, Kyiv has been dependent on this corridor for fuel, military supplies, aid, and grain exports using ports along the Danube, one account explained.
