Russian drones attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure
Photo: Southern Defense Forces
During the night of February 2, Russian drones attacked several regions of Ukraine. Explosions were heard in the central cities of Kropyvnytskyi and Kryvyi Rih.
The attack damaged a substation belonging to the "Ukrenergo" electricity operator in Kryvyi Rih, Rubryka reports, referring to local media outlets and officials.
On the night of February 2, authorities in some regions of Ukraine issued an air raid warning. According to reports from the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there was a drone threat. The air raid sirens were sounded in Ukraine's southern and eastern regions.
The Air Force also reported Russian tactical aviation activity in the Azov Sea area, with a threat of aerial munitions.
During the air raid alert, Kropyvnytskyi and Kryvyi Rih were rocked by explosions.
Kirovohrad region
A massive drone attack occurred overnight, targeting the central Kirovohrad regions and neighboring areas.
"A massive drone attack on the Kirovohrad and neighboring regions," said the head of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration, Andrii Raikovych.
He said air defense systems were activated in the city of Kropyvnytskyi and Kropyvnytskyi district. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties. Officials urge people not to ignore the alerts.
Kryvyi Rih
At 3:34 a.m., the Ukrainian military reported that a Russian strike drone was in the vicinity of Kryvyi Rih and advised residents to seek shelter.
Local sources reported power outages in some areas of Kryvyi Rih. Later, it was reported that a substation belonging to "Ukrenergo" was damaged in the city due to the Russian attack.
"During the night of February 2, Russia carried out a new massive drone strike on southern and central regions of Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is damage to one of the Ukrenergo substations in Kryvyi Rih. Residential and industrial consumers in the city are without electricity," said a post from the Ukrainian electricity operator.
Experts from "Ukrenergo" and the State Emergency Service (SES) are inspecting the equipment. Emergency repair work will begin immediately after the inspection.
"Unfortunately, there was a strike on our city's critical infrastructure. As a result of the enemy attack, around 100,000 subscribers in Saksahanskyi, Dovhyntsi, and Pokrovsky districts of the city are without electricity, including part of the hospitals, kindergartens, and schools in the city, the high-speed tram line, city tram, and trolleybus," said the head of the Kryvyi Rih City Military Administration, Oleksandr Vilkhul.
Serhii Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, added that two mines lost power due to the strike, leaving over 100 workers underground. As of 7:30 a.m., some of them have already been brought to the surface.
Lysak also reported that over 40,000 consumers are without power in the Kryvyi Rih district.
Ukrainian defenders from the East Operational Grouping successfully downed three Russian drones.
Russian night attack on Ukraine, February 1
According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian forces launched "Shahed" drones at Ukraine from two directions — north and south, with a total of four kamikaze drones deployed. It is reported that Ukrainian air defense forces downed two Russian attack drones.
On the evening of January 31, explosions were heard in Kharkiv. Local authorities reported that a civilian infrastructure facility in the Osnovnianskyi district of the city was hit in the Russian attack. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
On January 31, Russians also dropped bombs on a hospital in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region. With the help of police and rescuers, 38 people were evacuated from the hospital, including 33 patients, two of whom were bedridden, and five staff members. The shelling injured four people.
As reported, during the night of February 1, Russian forces attacked the territory of Ukraine using "Shahed" kamikaze drones. Two were destroyed in the Kharkiv region.
Since the beginning of the year, Russia has launched over 330 rockets and around 600 combat drones on cities in Ukraine, making control of Ukrainian airspace extremely important.
