Power Grids Hit as Drones Strike Refineries

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Sunday that Russian strikes damaged power infrastructure in four Ukrainian regions, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without electricity. The Ukrainian leader noted on Telegram that the intensity of the attacks remained high as Russian forces sought to exploit a shortage of ballistic missile interceptors.

At the same time, Russian authorities reported major damage to an industrial facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region following overnight drone attacks. Governor Gleb Nikitin described the damage as significant but did not name the specific site. The region contains the NORSI oil refinery, one of the country's largest, though the regional government has not confirmed if that plant was the target.

Ukraine claimed its forces also struck the Kamensky plant in Russia's Rostov region. Zelenskiy identified the site as a manufacturer of Russian missiles. The Russian capital did not offer an immediate comment on the Rostov attack.

Fighting continued along other parts of the front line despite a local ceasefire around the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky. That six-day pause on hostilities entered its final day on Sunday. Both sides maintained long-range air campaigns across the conflict zone.

Military officials provided differing counts of the aerial exchanges. Russia's Defense Ministry announced that its forces downed 235 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions overnight. Conversely, the Ukrainian air force said it shot down 371 of the 433 long-range drones launched by Russia since Saturday evening.

The Ukrainian air force reported that dozens of Russian drones remained airborne as of Sunday morning. Six separate drone alerts had been issued in Kyiv since midnight. The frequency of alerts indicates continued pressure on the capital's air defenses.

Regional officials in Nizhny Novgorod urged motorists to buy fuel only as needed and avoid panic buying. The warning suggests the damaged facility is linked to oil refining or fuel supply infrastructure. Kyiv did not immediately claim responsibility for the strike in that specific region.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in a state television interview that Ukrainian strikes on refineries were affecting global fuel market imbalances and prices. Novak did not mention the Nizhny Novgorod incident during the interview. On Friday, Russia accused Ukraine of resuming refinery strikes despite a request from US President Donald Trump to stop. Trump linked those attacks to rising diesel costs ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for next week.