UPDATE - Ukraine says 15 regions affected by Russian airstrikes on energy infrastructure

REVISES HEADLINE AND LEDE; ADDS STATEMENT FROM UKRAINIAN PREMIER; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine said on Monday that 15 regions in the country were affected by overnight Russian airstrikes that targeted the country's energy infrastructure.

"15 regions were affected today as a result of the massive Russian attack. The enemy used various types of weapons ... There are wounded and dead," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram.

Shmyhal said that various types of drones and missiles were used by Russia, adding that Ukraine's power grid operator Ukrenergo has been forced to introduce emergency power cuts to stabilize the country's energy system.

He called on its partners to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against Russian military targets inside Russia.

Reports have emerged from local authorities and media since early Monday of explosions caused by a Russian attack over multiple regions of Ukraine, including its capital Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported the movement of a large group of Russian drones across multiple regions, as well as the activity of 11 Tu-22MS strategic bombers.

Air raid alerts were issued across the country, with local authorities and media outlets reporting that explosions were caused by air defense systems destroying Russian drones.

Ukrainian private energy company DTEK announced that the power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has issued an order to implement an emergency blackout.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that power outages have been recorded in several districts of the capital and that there have also been interruptions in the water supply caused by the power outage.

Meanwhile, local authorities in Lviv and Rivne reported attacks on local energy infrastructure.

Russian authorities have yet to release a statement regarding the latest attack on Ukraine.