Ukraine Launches Major Drone Attack Causing Widespread Power Outages in Russia

Ukraine has launched significant overnight drone and missile attacks targeting Russian-occupied Crimea and multiple regions in Russia, including Belgorod and Bryansk, causing extensive damage to energy infrastructure and resulting in widespread power outages affecting tens of thousands of residents. Russia's Defense Ministry reported intercepting and destroying 251 Ukrainian drones, with many shot down over Crimea, the Black Sea, and southwestern Russia. In Belgorod alone, about 40,000 residents initially lost power after strikes on a thermal power plant and a key substation, with ongoing efforts to restore electricity. The attacks also triggered fires at industrial sites, including oil depots in Crimea and a thermal power plant in Bryansk, while causing casualties and injuries in places like Dzerzhinsk and Lviv. These Ukrainian strikes come amid continued Russian missile and drone attacks inside Ukraine, which have resulted in civilian casualties, including deaths in Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy, and have prompted NATO and Poland to heighten military readiness. Both sides report significant damage and disruption, underscoring the intensifying conflict dynamics in the region.