Russia has bombarded Ukraine’s energy system overnight in brutal drone strikes which left a seven-year-old boy dead.

The latest attack left most of the capital,Kyiv,in darkness and disrupted water supplies after at least three hydroelectric power plants were targeted.

The seven-hour onslaught saw Ukraine pummelled by ballistic and cruise missiles,killer drones and aerial bombs.

Huge swathes of the Kharkiv,Dnipropetrovsk,Poltava and Sumy regions faced power cuts as the Kremlin’s strikes targeted key infrastructure.

Some 12 people were wounded in Kyiv after a 17-storey residential tower block in the Pechersk district was hit by missiles.

The city’s underground metro also suffered delays and disruption caused by the power cuts.

Fire raging at a thermal power plant following Russian drone strikes (Picture: Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

Vitali Klitschko,the city’s mayor,said: ‘All emergency teams are monitoring the situation and ready to respond.

‘The left bank of the capital is without electricity. There are also problems with water supply.’

The Kremenchuk hydroelectric power station was hit – as was the Kryvyi Rih thermal power plant in president Volodymyr Zelensky’s home city. 

In Zaporizhzhia region,the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station with a 121ft high dam was damaged by Russian strikes. Traffic across its roadway was halted as a ‘precautionary’ measure.

Ivan Fedorov,head of the region’s military administration,said a seven-year-old boy was killed by Russian strikes,adding: ‘Doctors fought for the child’s life until the very end,but the injuries were too severe.’

Ukraine vowed revenge for the overnight energy strikes – threatening to put out the lights in Russia.

Russian infrastructure ‘will be destroyed’,said Andriy Yermak,head of Zelensky’s office.

He added: ‘Russia must understand that strikes on our infrastructure will be met with a response and their infrastructure will be destroyed.’

A damaged multi-storey residential building in Kyiv (Picture: Ihor Kuznietsov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Russia appears to be targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to deprive the country of heating and hot water as winter approaches.

Russian military channel Fighterbomber said: ‘This is what is called thoughtful and consistent work to take out the enemy’s energy system.

‘The fact that heating is taken out along with electricity is a nice bonus.

‘The main thing is that such work continues as long as necessary without interruption.’

But Ukrainians have been warned to ‘be ready for any scenarios’.

Nikolay Lukashuk,head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council,said: ‘Russia expects that a harsh winter and depriving Ukrainians of heat,light,and water will break the country’s will and improve Moscow’s negotiating positions.’