Power Outages, Transportation Disruption in Odesa Following Overnight Russian Drone Attack

Russian troops launched another drone attack on Odesa during the night of March 25, causing significant disruptions in the city, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the regional administration.

An air alert was issued in Odesa around midnight, and reports of explosions were heard across the city in the following hour.

The drone strike damaged energy infrastructure facilities, resulting in a partial blackout in Odesa. Kiper said that emergency services are actively responding to the situation.

According to Ukrenergo, the drone assault targeted two power substations in the southern region, leading to increased consumption restrictions in Odesa and its surrounding areas. This measure aims to safeguard the remaining equipment from potential overload damage.

Following the attack, Odesa City Hall announced the temporary suspension of trolleybus and tram services. Plans are underway to deploy additional buses to maintain essential transportation links.

Despite the electricity outage in some kindergartens, duty groups continue to operate. However, parents are advised to provide meals for their children at home due to difficulties in cooking without electricity.

Natalya Gumenyuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, reported that before deploying drones, the enemy utilized tactical aircraft and fired an X-31 radar missile.

She added that air defense forces successfully intercepted four drones over the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.

However, the wreckage of one downed drone struck a residential building in the Mykolaiv region, resulting in injuries to 11 people, three of whom required hospitalization.

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Though the suspension is supposed to be temporary, many Ukrainians have complained of its abruptness and criticized the government for its divisive policy.

Furthermore, a drone attack in the Mykolaiv region targeted an energy infrastructure facility, causing a fire that was promptly extinguished.

This latest assault follows a massive Russian strike on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on March 22, which resulted in several cities losing electricity, emergency schedules being implemented, and reports of injuries.