Kyiv bracing for 'unprecedented' power outages due to Russia's bombing campaign

President Volodymyr Zelensky saidthat four million people in Ukraine have lost electricity as a result of Russia's bombing campaign, and officials in the capital Kyiv have issued warnings of "unprecedented" outages.

Zelensky was speaking after Russia announced that it had finished calling up all 300,000 reserve soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

In the meantime, the United States offered new military assistance to Ukraine, in part as a result of Russian attacks on the nation's infrastructure for civilian use.

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Zelensky emphasised in his Friday evening speech that the Russian campaign's effects were being felt throughout the entire nation.

"About 4 million Ukrainians face restrictions now" from the rolling blackouts, he said. "We are doing everything so that the state has the opportunity to reduce such blackouts."

In advance of winter, Russian forces have been hammering Ukraine with airstrikes that specifically target energy infrastructure and have destroyed at least a third of the nation's power plants.

DTEK, the energy provider for the Kyiv region, warned Friday that because of the Russian attacks, it would have to implement "unprecedented" power cuts there in order to prevent a total blackout.

"More severe and longer blackouts will be implemented in the coming days," it said.

Also Read:Ukraine: Moscow has sent 1,000 troops as reinforcement as fighting intensifies in Kherson

In the meantime, in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that they had reached their call-up goal of 300,000 soldiers.

The mobilisation was announced on September 21 to help turn the tide after Moscow suffered a string of defeats in Ukraine, which resulted in some Russian men running for the borders to flee the conflict.

(with inputs from agencies)