Ukrainian Drones Strike Electrical Substations in Kursk and Lipetsk Regions of Russia

On the night of November 2, Ukrainian drones conducted a massive strike on the invaders’ energy infrastructure. Strikes were recorded on at least two electrical substations in the Kursk and Lipetsk regions of Russia.

Local residents posted videos of the attacks and subsequent fires on Telegram channels.

According to local reports, the drones hit electrical substations in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region, and Usman, Lipetsk region.

The first drones were spotted in Zheleznogorsk around 10:00 p.m. As of 10:50 p.m., locals counted at least 15 attack drones. A few minutes later, reports emerged of a fire in the city following the fall of “drone debris.”

According to local media, kamikaze drones attacked a 330 kV substation: part of the city was left without power, and problems with water supply were reported. It is worth noting that Zheleznogorsk is home to the second-largest mining and processing plant – the Mikhailovsky GOK.

It is integrated into the supply chain of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as raw materials produced by this plant are supplied to enterprises that manufacture armor steel.

The enrichment plant itself has also previously been targeted by Ukrainian drones and is under U.S. sanctions.

Additionally, strike UAVs hit the Usman 220 kV traction substation in Russia’s Lipetsk region, which powers the railway section between Lipetsk and Voronezh.

The substation receives high-voltage electricity (220 kV) from the main grid and steps it down to levels suitable for supplying the contact network and other consumers.

This is a key piece of infrastructure that ensures the stable operation of electrified railway lines.

On the night of October 31, the Ukrainian Navy executed a missile strike with Neptune cruise missiles on energy infrastructure facilities in Russia’s Bryansk region and in Oryol.

The Oryol CHP plant and the Novobryansk electrical substation, which supplied power to, among others, military enterprises in the region, came under attack. On the night of November 2, another attack on the city of Oryol was also reported; however, the results of the strike are currently unknown.