Locals in northern Ukraine’s Chernihiv region have reported blackouts and potential water supply disruptions following reports of Russian drone strikes on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
The region borders Belarus and Russia to the north, with the city of Chernihiv located just 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Belarusian border. The city was under siege at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Local outlet Suspilne reported blackouts in multiple neighborhoods within the city on Wednesday at around 4 p.m., citing comments from locals.
Multiple settlements in the region outside the city of Chernihiv were also affected, Suspilne said.
Following the reports, local water utility company Chernihivvodokanal warned about “problems with water supply on the upper floors of multi-story buildings” due to the blackout and asked locals to stock up on fresh water.
“We also appeal to all residents: Keep a supply of drinking water at home, given the difficult situation in the city and in Ukraine as a whole,” the company wrote in its update.
Slavutych Mayor Yuriy Fomichev also issued an update around the same time, saying that substation 330 was struck.
“We have a hit at substation 330. The city is without power. The consequences are being clarified. Firefighters are working to eliminate the consequences of the fire,” the update says.
Fomichev confirmed that the water supply is affected but added that it will be available “in an hour.”
“The water supply is in reserve, water will be available in an hour,” he added.
At around 3 p.m., Ukraine’s Air Force reported an unspecified number of drones flying westbound from the north of the Chernihiv region, issuing a similar update again at around 3:46 p.m.
The city has come under intensified attacks in recent days, with at least two drones recorded hitting the city of Nosivka a day prior.
Suspilne, citing local officials in its Tuesday report, said one of them hit a “critical infrastructure facility” with reports of blackouts and water supply disruptions.
On Sept. 25, similar strikes were reported in Chernihiv and Nizhyn, again with power and water supply disruptions that sparked criticism over the response and lack of preparedness of local authorities.
At the time, the monitoring channel Nikolaevsky Vanek, linked to a senior Ukrainian official, criticized the lack of defenses in the area.
“Chernihiv is under attack again, and there is no countermeasure in almost the entire region. Who should react so that such situations don’t happen again, and someone finally takes up countermeasures against drones in the Chernihiv region?” the channel wrote.
On Sept. 24, Russia also fired two ballistic missiles that struck a training ground within the region, killing and wounding an undisclosed number of troops.