KYIV, Ukraine: Russian attacks on nine regions of Ukraine caused emergency power cuts affecting hundreds of thousands of households and damaged homes, leaving at least 15 people injured, Ukrainian officials said on October 16.

The strikes came as concerns grew over Ukraine's ability to defend itself amid worsening relations with the United States and the approach of winter.

Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure before winter, aiming to disrupt electricity, heating and water supplies for civilians. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow is building up its stock of ballistic missiles for further attacks in the coming months.

The latest strikes also targeted apartment buildings, public transport, cargo ships, data centers and food storage facilities, according to Ukrainian officials.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Brussels on October 16 for a summit with European leaders concerned about Russian aggression and Moscow's wider ambitions in Europe. Leaders from the European Union's 27 member states promised to continue supporting Ukraine and urged Washington to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking on arrival, Zelenskyy thanked the bloc for its support, calling them "real leaders."

He said Ukraine wanted to end the war quickly but had seen no signs that Russia was ready to stop fighting. He added that Ukraine therefore needed to prepare for another difficult winter.

Relations between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump have deteriorated this week, raising concerns about possible reductions in American military support.

Zelenskyy criticized a breakdown in intelligence sharing between Western allies and new restrictions on Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade satellite communications service. Starshield and the related Starlink network have played an important role in Ukraine's military communications and drone operations.

The Ukrainian president also criticized Trump's diesel deal with Russia, despite international efforts to impose sanctions on Moscow and isolate Putin diplomatically over the invasion.

Trump had promised to end the war quickly. However, Ukrainian officials have accused his administration of pressuring Zelenskyy to surrender territory to Russia as part of a possible settlement.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was trying to persuade Washington to maintain its support for Kyiv.

She said Western allies needed to increase pressure on Russia to end the war, while acknowledging that cooperation with the United States had become difficult.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said Europe is widely concerned about the latest developments in Ukraine.

While Russia continues its aerial attacks, Ukraine has used long-range drones developed domestically to strike targets inside Russia.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 644 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions, Russian-occupied Crimea and the Black Sea.

The attacks disrupted air travel. Nearly 160 flights were delayed or canceled at Moscow's four airports, according to the state-backed Moskva news agency. Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said airport restrictions began late on October 14 and continued into the morning of October 15.

A further 46 flights were delayed or canceled at St Petersburg airport, which also faced restrictions overnight, local media reported.