Russian governor states Ukrainian attacks cause major blackout

(MENAFN) A drone strike by Ukrainian forces has caused a major power outage affecting tens of thousands of residents in Russia’s border Kursk Region, Governor Aleksandr Khinshtein reported. The attack targeted a 110-kilowatt electricity substation in the Rylsk district, which had a population of about 30,000 in 2021. The blackout also impacted parts of two nearby districts. Khinshtein assured that power restoration efforts will begin as soon as the security situation permits.

Since mid-May, Kiev has intensified drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in Moscow and other Russian regions, following the first Russia-Ukraine negotiation talks in Istanbul. The raids reached a peak in late May, when Russian air defenses shot down 2,300 UAVs, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the attacks as efforts to undermine peace talks.

Recently, two bridges in Russia’s border areas collapsed—one in Bryansk Region in front of a passenger train, and another in Kursk Region under a freight train. These incidents resulted in seven deaths and 113 injuries. Moscow has labeled both events as deliberate sabotage and terrorist acts orchestrated by Ukraine, timed just before the second round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul.

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