Volgograd: Russia and Ukraine on Thursday traded accusations regarding overnight airstrikes on each other's Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Volgograd Governor Andrey Bocharov stated that the Russian Defense Ministry successfully repelled a 'massive' drone attack by Ukraine on energy infrastructure in the southern region. Bocharov reported that debris from a downed drone caused a fire at the Balashovskaya substation in the region's Novonikolayevsky district, which firefighters were quickly working to extinguish. He assured that repair crews were restoring power to the surrounding communities and confirmed that there was no damage to residential buildings or injuries.
According to Anadolu Agency, Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev mentioned that several villages in his region remained without power following a drone attack in a 'neighboring region,' though he did not provide further details. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it downed 51 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 11 being shot down over the Volgograd region.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz reported on Telegram that Russia carried out a large-scale strike on its facilities, causing damage in several regions and temporarily halting the operation of some 'critical' facilities. The attacks have directly impacted gas production volumes, which Naftogaz is partially compensating through imports.
Ukraine's power grid operator Ukrenergo announced emergency power outages in multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv, due to the challenging situation in the energy system. Ukrainian private energy provider DTEK also reported that a gas production facility in the Poltava region was halted.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the situation via the social media platform X, stating that Russia uses every day to strike at Ukraine's energy infrastructure. He called for increased military and economic pressure on Russia and highlighted the importance of strong decisions from Ukraine's partners to end the war. Zelenskyy also mentioned his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC.
Ukraine's Air Force claimed that air defenses shot down 283 of 320 drones and five of 37 various types of missiles launched by Russia overnight. Additionally, Ukraine's General Staff reported striking the Saratov Oil Refinery in an overnight attack, though Russian authorities have not commented on this claim.