Blackouts hit Russia’s Belgorod after missile, drone attack

Power outages were reported in Russia’s Belgorod region following what local officials described as a missile and drone attack that damaged energy infrastructure.

Authorities in Belgorod said the overnight strike caused a fire in the regional capital and affected critical infrastructure. Russian regional officials claimed the attack damaged energy facilities and left parts of the region without electricity, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Two electrical substations were allegedly hit during the strike, contributing to the blackouts across parts of the region. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said emergency crews worked overnight to restore services, including electricity, heating and water. According to regional authorities, one civilian was injured.

Ukraine’s military had not commented on the reported attack at the time of publication, and independent verification of the claims remained limited.

Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine’s Sumy, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, has frequently been affected by cross-border strikes during the ongoing conflict.

The reported attack comes amid continued strikes on infrastructure on both sides of the conflict, with energy facilities often targeted, particularly during winter months when heating and power demand are high.

Officials said recovery operations are ongoing as teams work to restore electricity and other essential services in affected areas.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada