Ukrainian Strike Cuts Power to 40,000 in Belgorod, Causing Widespread Damage

A Ukrainian strike on energy facilities left nearly 40,000 residents of the Russian city of Belgorod without electricity, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on October 5. The attack, he said, caused extensive damage across seven municipalities, prompting emergency measures and a significant restoration effort.

"We received reports from energy officials detailing the damage from the nighttime shelling. The destruction is substantial, and the scale of the repair work will be extensive," Gladkov said. Hospitals in Belgorod switched to backup power, while local authorities coordinated school operations amid the blackout. Emergency crews were immediately deployed to the hardest-hit areas.

By the morning of October 6, partial outages persisted in 24 settlements, affecting around 5,400 residents. Gladkov did not provide a timeline for full power restoration but emphasized that repair work was ongoing and expected to be completed soon.

The attack comes amid a period of intensified Russian strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had warned that Kyiv would target Russian energy assets in retaliation if Moscow attempted to cause blackouts in Ukraine. Over the past year, Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian power grids, gas facilities, and heating systems have repeatedly left civilians without heat or electricity during freezing conditions.

On October 3, Zelensky reported that Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukrainian energy facilities, accusing Moscow of seeking to aggravate civilian suffering ahead of the winter season. Bloomberg had previously reported on September 20, citing Kremlin sources, that Russia plans to continue targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this winter as part of its broader strategy to pressure Kyiv into concessions.