Russian city Zheleznogorsk left without power and heating after substation damaged in Ukrainian attack
The city of Zheleznogorsk in the Kursk region, home to around 100,000 people, has been completely cut off from electricity and heating due to repairs on a substation damaged by Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the region's governor, Roman Starovoit. "To ensure the safe restoration of the damages, we were forced to disconnect the substation in Zheleznogorsk. The consequences of the accident will be eliminated within two hours," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
However, the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti (Beware, News) reported, citing local residents, that some gas stations, stores, and ATMs in the city have stopped functioning. "People are panicking. Water has been sold out in stores. Most stores are closed. There is a huge line at the gas station," the channel's sources said. They also noted that there are issues with mobile phone coverage in the city.
In addition, several companies in Zheleznogorsk, including the Vagonmash machine-building plant, have ceased operations. According to one of the plant's workers, all employees were sent home at around 10 am.
Earlier, Roman Starovoit reported that the damage to the substation in the Zheleznogorsk district of the Kursk region has led to power outages in residential areas. Furthermore, in Zheleznogorsk, "due to a voltage surge and a hydraulic shock, a heat pipeline burst," leaving 17 apartment buildings without heating.
On December 29th, Ukraine came under one of the largest Russian attacks of the war. Around 40 people were killed, with dozens more injured. The next day, the center of Belgorod was hit by shelling - the most significant attack during Russia's war against Ukraine.
According to the latest reports, 25 people have died as a result. Ukrainian military officials have not commented on the shelling of Belgorod.
After the shelling of Belgorod on December 30th, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened that Russian forces will strike Ukraine more frequently. During the night of January 2nd, the Russian army launched massive missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other cities. Reports indicated at least five deaths.