Russian drone attack cuts power to 280,000 households, five hurt in Kharkiv

Updated at 12:43

Russia attacked Ukraine overnight on 31 October with 134 attack drones, and air defences shot down or jammed 105 of them by 08:30 am, the Air Force says. Of the drones, 72 were jet-powered Shaheds. The rest included Gerbera drones and Parodiya decoy drones. Drones hit 20 locations, and debris from downed drones fell on 10 more.

Some attack drones were still in the air and air defences were still working. Of those downed, 49 were jet-powered.

Power cuts in Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces hit four electricity substations in the Dnipropetrovsk region in one night. About 200,000 households in Dnipro and the wider region lost power. In the Kyiv region, more than 80,000 more have no electricity. Repair crews are working to restore it.

The strikes did not hit only the power grid. Railway sites were attacked in Dnipro and Kharkiv, and a gas distribution facility was hit in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Zelensky called on Ukraine's partners to step up their support: "We need strong steps towards peace. That means sanctions on the aggressor and new aid packages for Ukraine."

Kharkiv

A drone hit private houses in Kharkiv's Osnovianskyi district, and five people were wounded. The roof of an apartment block and outbuildings caught fire, and the blaze spread over about 300 sq m.

Rescuers say the fire is now out. About 10 private houses, farm buildings and one car were damaged. Rescuers, psychologists, medics, police and utility workers were at the scene.

Dnipro

Russian forces again hit the railway station in Dnipro. People managed to take cover, and early reports say no one was hurt.

Druzhkivka

In Druzhkivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian soldiers pulled out a wounded local woman who had been hurt in Russian air strikes. They had heard that guided aerial bombs had hit residential buildings, and the decision to go was made within minutes.

On the way, Russian FPV drones hit the armoured capsule three times, said the commander, call sign Palamar, of the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade. Two rear tyres were punctured, but the vehicle made it back. On the return trip the soldiers also came under artillery fire with cluster munitions, and the route ran through stretches the Russians are actively mining. The woman was handed over to the relevant services.

Russia has waged a full-scale war on Ukraine since February 2022 and regularly hits the power grid and residential areas.