Russian forces carried out a large-scale drone strike on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia late on Tuesday, causing fires, injuring 12 individuals, and causing significant damage to buildings and vehicles, according to the regional governor. Ivan Fedorov, communicating via the Telegram messaging app, reported that the attack resulted in the destruction of cars, shops, and seven apartment complexes, with 12 individuals currently receiving medical treatment. He stated in an online video that a rescue operation is underway at 12 different locations, with multiple emergency response teams, including the State Emergency Services and national police, actively involved.
Images shared online depicted firefighters combating fires at high-rise residential buildings and charred vehicles on city streets. Emergency services, updating via Telegram, confirmed that the fires were being contained, and rescue efforts were ongoing.
The Zaporizhzhia region, a part of which is under Russian control, has seen significant territorial occupation by Russian forces, with recent advancements noted. However, the city itself remains under Ukrainian jurisdiction. Yevgeny Belitsky, the Russia-appointed head of the region controlled by Russia, accused Ukrainian forces of targeting power grid infrastructure in the Russian-occupied zones. Belitsky, posting on Telegram, disclosed that power supply to 40,000 consumers in the Russian-controlled towns had been disrupted.
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 has plunged the neighboring countries into an ongoing state of intense conflict. Both Ukraine and Russia have extensively utilized drones throughout the war, adapting to the changing nature of the battlefield and the evolving threats posed by hostile drone activities.