A Russian overnight drone attack on southern Ukraine injured 11 people and left parts of Odesa without electricity, Ukrainian authorities said on March 25.
Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces said "several waves" of drones were launched from the Black Sea, and eight were shot down in Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts but added it was "not possible to avoid hits."
Debris from an intercepted drone fell on a residential building in the city of Mykolaiv, causing a fire that injured 11 people, two of whom were hospitalized, according to Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitalii Kim.
The drone attack also hit an energy facility in Mykolaiv Oblast, causing a fire that was extinguished, the Southern Defense Forces said on Telegram.
While no casualties have been reported in Odesa, energy infrastructure was damaged during the attack.
"The enemy once again attacked Odesa with attack drones," Oleh Kiper, head of the region's military administration, said in a post on Telegram.
Danylo Mokryk
"The energy infrastructure was damaged. There is no electricity supply in part of Odesa."
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said the attack had damaged a high-voltage power facility, adding: "Emergency shutdowns are in place in the city and district."
No casualties have been reported.
Russia has recently intensified its attacks against Ukraine’s energy system, reportedly exploiting the country’s air defense shortages.
Russian forces launched over 150 drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure overnight on March 21-22 in what has been called "the largest mass attack on Ukraine's energy grid" throughout the full-scale war.
The Russian military targeted over 130 energy infrastructure facilities, causing power outages for almost 1.5 million Ukrainians. The attack also struck Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
