The government of war-torn Ukraine reported on Monday that a storm had left over 2,000 towns and villages without power, placing additional strain on the nation's brittle power grid.

Russian forces have made systematic attacks on the energy infrastructure, and Kiev has warned that Moscow is planning more strikes on important facilities this winter.

“In total, 2,019 settlements in 16 regions are cut off from the grid,” the interior ministry said.

Authorities reported that they had rescued 1,624 people who were stranded in Odesa, a city in southern Ukraine that has seen numerous Russian strikes.

The temperature dropped below freezing, according to regional authorities, and gusts of up to 72 kilometers per hour (44 miles per hour) were reported.