Russian authorities reported a wave of overnight drone attacks across at least seven regions, triggering power and heating outages and sparking a fire at one of the world’s largest ammonia producers.
In Oryol Oblast, local officials acknowledged damage to a municipal infrastructure facility after drones reportedly struck the Oryol thermal power plant, according to the independent outlet Astra, citing residents. Regional governor Andrei Klychkov said the attack caused disruptions to heating, electricity, and hot water supplies in parts of the city.
“As a result of an enemy attack, a municipal infrastructure facility in the city of Oryol was damaged,” Klychkov said.
“Emergency crews are carrying out repair work, and short-term restrictions to heat, energy supply, and hot water are possible.”
Later, he said heat and hot water supplies were fully suspended in the city’s Sovietsky district, prompting authorities to cancel classes at schools and kindergartens in the area.
Separately, Astra reported that a fire broke out at the TogliattiAzot (TOAZ) chemical plant in Russia’s Samara region following a drone strike. Local residents said roads leading to the facility were blocked. TOAZ is one of the world’s top 10 ammonia producers and a key part of Russia’s chemical industry. Russian authorities have not publicly confirmed the cause of the fire.
In Rostov Oblast, Governor Yuriy Slyusar said air defenses were active overnight in Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, and several surrounding districts. He reported damage to civilian infrastructure and power outages caused by a severed high-voltage transmission line.
“The main thing is that no one was injured,” Slyusar said.
“In several localities, civilian facilities were damaged. In Rostov, residential buildings and industrial consumers were disconnected from power supply.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 94 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 36 over Rostov Oblast, 17 over Belgorod, 15 over Voronezh, and several others over Samara, Astrakhan, Kursk, and Krasnodar Oblasts, as well as over the Caspian and Azov Seas. The ministry’s claims could not be independently verified.