Russian drones pounded Ukraine, setting Odesa’s rail depot ablaze and knocking out power to the Chornobyl nuclear plant in one of the most dangerous strikes in months.
Russian troops attacked the Kyiv region with drones early on Oct. 2. A non-operational sanatorium caught fire, and one person was injured in the strikes.
The State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported that a two-story building of an unused sanatorium in Bucha ignited after a UAV attack.
The fire, which covered 600 square meters, was extinguished by 2.13 a.m. Rescuers found a man born in 1977 with injuries.
Kyiv Regional Military Administration (OVA) head Mykola Kalashnyk confirmed that a 50-year-old man suffered shrapnel wounds to his right leg and was hospitalized.
Explosions were also reported in Odesa. Mayor Hennady Trukhanov urged residents to stay in shelters as UAVs struck the city, with the central and Peresypsky districts under threat with two people injured.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russia targeted a Ukrzaliznytsia depot in Odesa, injuring a train driver. Rail infrastructure in northern border communities, including Konotop, was also struck, delaying some trains in the Chernihiv and Sumy directions.
“Another difficult night for Ukraine. Massive strikes hit Odesa and the region, while dozens of drones targeted peaceful settlements in the Kyiv region. The enemy is also striking the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions,” he wrote on Telegram.
Later, the head of the Odesa OVA, Oleh Kiper, reported on Telegram that power outages occurred across the region following a massive overnight Russian attack.
According to Kiper, Russian forces once again targeted civilian infrastructure. Despite the efforts of air defense units, one transport infrastructure facility was damaged.
Power outages were reported, and energy workers managed to restore electricity where technically possible.
“Currently, 11.3 thousand customers already have electricity. Another 46.6 thousand remain temporarily without power. Repair work is ongoing,” Kiper said.
The strike also damaged a private house, affecting its roof and windows.
Units of the DSNS are currently working to eliminate the consequences of the attack.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian troops launched an attack with 86 attack UAVs, including Shahed, Geran, and other types of drones.
The assault was repelled by Ukrainian aviation, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, as well as mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces.
Preliminary data as of 09:00 indicate that air defense forces shot down or suppressed 53 Shahed, Geran, and other types of drones over the north, south, and east of the country. At the same time, 31 attack UAVs struck six locations.
Meanwhile, Russia struck Ukraine’s energy sector again. On Oct. 1, a drone attack on an electrical substation in Slavutych left the city without power or water and caused a blackout at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) for more than three hours.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said over 20 Shahed drones were used in a coordinated wave strike, with some shot down.
He emphasized that the blackout cut power to the New Safe Confinement facility, which contains over 3,250 tons of spent nuclear fuel. Power was later restored, and officials confirmed radiation levels remained safe.
“The Russians could not have known that the strike on facilities in Slavutych would have such consequences for Chornobyl,” Zelensky said, calling on the international community to respond firmly to Russia’s actions.
The strikes also left over 300,000 people in Chernihiv and the surrounding region without electricity. Emergency schedules for rolling blackouts were introduced, and police increased patrols in darkened areas.
“Russia is trying to destroy our infrastructure every day - railways, roads, energy. The aggressor uses weapons that rely on foreign components, so sanctions must be tightened and supply chains blocked,” Kuleba wrote.
This news story will be updated as more information becomes available.