KIEV (Askume) – Russia fired missiles at energy infrastructure in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Tuesday, hours after nighttime drone attacks in the region caused power outages in some areas and forced authorities to use backup power systems.
Sumy region governor Volodymyr Artyukh cited preliminary assessments and said Russia used at least four missiles in the latest attack on energy facilities. Ukraine’s energy ministry said the Russian attack caused a fire at a substation and knocked out power to more than 281,000 customers. It later said power had been partially restored.
Sumy’s acting mayor, Atem Kobzar, said there were no casualties in the city, but regional officials said overnight drone strikes caused damage in the region’s Konotop, Okhtylka and Sumy districts.
Local officials said on the Telegram messaging app that critical infrastructure should use backup power systems.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched 51 drones in Tuesday’s attack, of which 34 were shot down.
Ukraine’s Northern Military Command said on Telegram that Russia also dropped three guided bombs on the town of Khalusiv. Two people were injured and 20 private houses, public transport and a grain silo were damaged.
Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 , is attacking energy infrastructure in what Kiev says is a concerted effort to disrupt energy systems ahead of winter, when people need electricity and heating the most.
Russian troops have continued to advance into eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops remain in Russia’s Kursk region after a cross-border incursion last month.
Moscow said its air defence systems destroyed 16 Ukrainian drones over Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions overnight.
