Russian drone strike causes power outages in western Ukraine

Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure resulted in power cuts across the west of the war-torn country, according to authorities.

A drone hit Ternopil, a western town home to 224,000 people that saw a deadly strike on Monday and extensive power cuts that left thousands without electricity last month, News.az reports, citing The Times of Moscow.

"An enemy drone hit an energy infrastructure facility in Ternopil. Part of the city is without electricity," said the town's mayor, Serhiy Nadal.

Western Ukraine has been relatively spared in the nearly three-year war, but Russia has recently stepped up strikes on the whole country's energy infrastructure, seen as a bid to knock out crucial power supplies through the winter months and sap Ukrainian morale.

Overnight attacks also targeted the western Rivne region, said its governor, Oleksandr Koval.

"Another enemy attack on Rivne region. An energy infrastructure facility was hit," Koval said on social media, without specifying the immediate consequences of the attack.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had attacked Ukraine with 28 drones, 22 of which were shot down.

News.Az