Russian airstrikes have left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power, targeting critical energy infrastructure across four regions. Simultaneously, Ukrainian drones reportedly caused significant damage to an industrial facility in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, raising concerns about fuel supplies.
The escalating aerial attacks highlight the continued intensity of the conflict, with both sides reporting successes in downing enemy drones.
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Russian air attacks on Sunday plunged hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian households into darkness, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported. The strikes targeted power infrastructure across four regions, exacerbating the ongoing conflict even as a brief local ceasefire neared its end.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities acknowledged significant damage to an industrial facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region following a large-scale Ukrainian drone assault. Governor Gleb Nikitin stated that "significant damage" was inflicted but did not specify the site, though the region is home to the NORSI oil refinery, one of Russia's largest.
President Zelenskyy noted the high intensity of Russian strikes, suggesting Moscow is attempting to exploit Ukraine's limited supply of ballistic missile interceptors. He also claimed that Ukrainian forces had successfully struck the Kamensky plant in Russia's Rostov region, which he identified as a facility involved in Russian missile production. Moscow has not yet commented on this alleged strike.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 235 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight. In contrast, Ukraine's Air Force stated they had shot down 371 out of 433 long-range drones launched by Russia since Saturday evening, with dozens still airborne as of Sunday morning.
Concerns about fuel supplies arose in Nizhny Novgorod, where regional government urged motorists to avoid panic buying, indicating the damaged facility was likely connected to oil refining or fuel distribution. This comes after Russia accused Ukraine of resuming strikes on its oil refineries, linking them to rising diesel costs ahead of U.S. midterm elections. Ukraine maintains it seeks a comprehensive ceasefire on energy targets but claims Russia is unwilling to reciprocate.