Russian drones damage energy infrastructure in Ternopil, Rivne Oblasts

On 3 December, Ukraine’s Air Force reported successfully intercepting 22 out of 28 Russian drones launched from Russian territories during an overnight assault. The attack reportely originated from several directions including Russia’s Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Orel, and Millerovo, involving primarily Shahed-type one-way attack UAVs and “drones of other types.”

Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Since October 2022, it has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with extensive missile and drone assaults, aiming to disrupt civilian life, particularly during the winter months.

According to the Air Force report, drone strikes targeted critical infrastructure across nine Ukrainian oblasts: Kyiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. One drone was “locationally lost” – meaning disappeared from radars possibly crashing, while two exited controlled airspace towards Belarus and temporarily occupied territories.

In Ternopil, a Shahed drone struck an infrastructure object, causing partial power outages, the city’s Mayor Serhii Nadal reported, advising residents to prepare by storing water and charging phones. Air raid alerts in the region were introduced from 1:25 to 4:06, according to public broadcaster Suspilne. No casualties were reported.

The attack followed a previous drone strike in Ternopil a day earlier, which hit a residential building, killing one civilian and injuring three more.

Rivne Oblast also experienced an attack. Oleksandr Koval, head of Rivne Oblast Military Administration, confirmed an infrastructure facility was hit. Preliminary reports indicated no human casualties.

The attack has possibly caused a short-lasting power cut in some areas of Rivne and nearby Volyn oblasts, with power supply restored by the morning, according to the locals.

The Rivne Oblast chief did not specify what exactly Russia targeted this time, but several days ago, Russian strikes hit a power substation linking one of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant’s reactors to Ukraine’s grid, causing widespread blackouts.

Related: