Ukrainian strikes have triggered power cuts over huge swathes of Russian-controlled territory, plunging hundreds of thousands of people into darkness.

The attacks, which came after an unsuccessful second round of peace talks in Istanbul, have left entire towns and cities without electricity in the partially-occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Officials said there was no effect on operations at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear station, and that radiation levels were normal.

Russian-installed governors in the two regions – which are among the key areas that Moscow demands Ukraine give up in order to end the war – said authorities to introduce emergency measures to preserve power sources.

Meanwhile, Russia’s overnight aerial attacks killed one person in Ukraine’s northeast and injured several more in the northern city of Chernihiv.

It comes after Moscow and Kyiv agreed to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops, but made scant progress towards a peace settlement. Ukraine proposed further talks later this month.