War

Drones reportedly strike targets in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Crimea

2 min read
A large explosion erupts in the distance under a dark sky.
What purports to be an explosion at a substation in occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, following a drone strike on April 14, 2026. (Exilenova Plus/Telegram)

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A substation was struck by drones in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and explosions were heard in several cities across Crimea overnight on April 14, Telegram channel Exilenova Plus reported.

A fire broke out at an electric substation in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, following a drone strike, leaving parts of the city without power, the outlet reported.

Meanwhile, in Crimea, explosions were heard in the cities of Simferopol, Feodosia, and Kerch as drones struck targets on the peninsula in an attack that lasted several hours.

The reports could not be immediately verified by the Kyiv Independent.

Article image
A map of Russian-occupied Crimea. (The Kyiv Independent)

Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep inside Russia and the occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's capacity to continue waging war on Ukraine.

Kyiv considers energy facilities to be valid military targets, as the energy sites provide fuel and funding for the Kremlin's war machine.

An oil pumping station in Krymsk, Krasnodar Krai, and several targets inside Russian-occupied territories were struck by Ukrainian drones overnight on April 9, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed.

In the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast, logistics depots near Mykilske, a drone depot near Orlynske, and a Tor M1 anti-aircraft missile system near Kalchynivka were hit.

In Luhansk Oblast, a logistics depot in Perevalsk and an ammunition depot in the Trudove area were also struck.

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Volodymyr Ivanyshyn

News Editor

Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.

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