40,000 Russians without power in Belgorod after Ukrainian attack causes 'significant' damage to energy facilities
Editor's note: This story has been updated with an interception published by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR).
A Ukrainian attack damaged energy facilities and disrupted power supplies in the Russian city of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Oct. 5.
The attack follows weeks of intensified Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Nearly 40,000 Belgorod residents were left without electricity after the strike, which caused significant damage across seven municipalities, according to Gladkov.
"We listened to a report from energy officials on the nature of the damage caused by the nighttime shelling of Belgorod. We have significant damage," he said. "Scope of work will be significant."
Emergency crews were deployed to the affected areas, and hospitals in Belgorod have switched to backup power. Local authorities are coordinating school operations amid the outages, Gladkov said.
On the morning of Oct. 6, Gladkov reported that partial power outages continued in 24 settlements, affecting 5,400 residents. He did not indicate when full power restoration was expected.
"Restoration work is continuing, and we hope that it will be completed in the very near future," he said.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) released an alleged intercepted phone call, in which a Belgorod Oblast resident described widespread blackouts and internet outages following the attack.
"All of Shchebekino was without power," a woman can be heard saying. "The streets were all dark."
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.
In September, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukraine would retaliate against Russia's energy sector if Moscow again attempted to plunge Ukraine into a blackout.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's power grid, gas facilities, and heating systems ahead of winter, aiming to make living conditions unbearable for civilians.
Last year, sustained strikes left millions without heat and electricity during freezing temperatures.
On Oct. 3, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone strike on Ukrainian energy facilities, Zelensky said, accusing Moscow of trying to worsen civilian suffering before the winter season.
Bloomberg reported on Sept. 20, citing sources close to the Kremlin, that Russia plans to continue targeting Ukraine's energy this winter as part of a broader effort to pressure Kyiv into concessions.
Yuliia Taradiuk
