Ukraine Strikes Bring Blackouts and Fear to Russia’s Belgorod Region

Residents of Russia’s Belgorod region are experiencing frequent blackouts and air-raid sirens as Ukrainian drone and missile strikes increase in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine. The strikes, targeting energy infrastructure, have caused major power outages and heightened fear, while authorities struggle with fuel shortages and limited backup resources.

Residents of Russia's Belgorod region report that blackouts, air-raid sirens, and the sounds of gunfire targeting incoming Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly frequent, as Kyiv retaliates for repeated bombardments of its cities with cross-border strikes of its own.

"It's so loud and so terrifying," says Nina, a Belgorod resident who requested her name be changed. "I was coming back from the clinic when a siren went off. As usual, I received Telegram alerts about a drone attack. Then bursts of automatic gunfire erupted. I ran into a nearby courtyard and tried to hide under an arch," she recalls. "The next day it all happened again—air defence fire, automatic gunfire, explosions."

According to BBC News Russian analysis of local authority data, the number of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Belgorod region has increased nearly fourfold since the start of 2025. In September, more than 4,000 Ukrainian drones were recorded in the region, compared with around 1,100 in January. One of the largest strikes last month involved over 260 drones, according to the regional governor. Missile attacks have also increased since the summer.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to endure far heavier losses from Russia's near-daily missile and drone strikes, which regularly kill civilians and leave cities across the country without power or heating. At least seven people, including two children, were killed in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight into Wednesday. Ukrainian authorities warn that the coming winter could be the harshest yet for the country.

Ukrainian officials say the recent surge of attacks on Belgorod, some of which caused significant blackouts, is a direct response to Russia’s latest assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. "Maybe they should stop being too comfortable there in Belgorod?" President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month. "They must understand: if they want to leave us without power, then we will do the same."

The Belgorod region serves as a key logistics corridor and staging hub for Russian forces near the Ukrainian border. It is also a regular point of origin for artillery and short-range drone strikes. While smaller towns in the region experienced occasional power outages earlier in the war, the city of Belgorod itself remained largely unaffected by electricity cuts until this autumn.

Local student Ekaterina (not her real name) told the BBC she was at home in the city on the evening of 28 September when missile alerts began appearing on her phone: "Missile alert! Take shelter!" Howling sirens followed, and the lights in her flat started flickering. "We ran to the corridor because the explosions started almost immediately. They were very loud. The lights blinked and went out," she said.

Reports on local Telegram channels confirmed that missiles had struck the main Belgorod heat and power plant, as well as a substation. While the city centre had its electricity restored relatively quickly, some suburbs remained without power until morning. Across the region, roughly 77,000 people—about 5% of the population—were still without electricity the following day.

"While you're in the office in the centre, you might not notice that there was a blackout. But when you're going home, it’s like entering a whole different world," another Belgorod resident, Natalya (not her real name), told the BBC. "Complete darkness outside. Apartment blocks are without power, shops are dark too. As you ride through the darkness, it’s hard to tell where your stop is—you can’t see anything." Another major blackout occurred less than a week later.

Authorities have admitted they lack the capacity to provide backup generators for everyone and have urged residents to purchase their own. "But what are we supposed to fuel them with, given the fuel crisis?" said Maria, an elderly resident who also asked for her name to be changed. More than half of Russia’s regions, including Belgorod, have faced petrol and diesel shortages due to increased Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.

Ukraine has ramped up production of its "Darts" drones—lightweight, inexpensive models capable of carrying a 4kg warhead—and many Belgorod residents attribute the rise in strikes to these drones. The drones are effective for both single and mass launches, which can potentially overwhelm air defence systems. However, the recent attacks on energy infrastructure that caused the blackouts in Belgorod are likely to have involved heavier weapons, such as long-range HIMARS rockets or Morok drones with larger warheads.

For many in Russia, the war has long felt distant, but residents of Belgorod now experience its impact daily, much like Ukrainians across the border. "Until September, the war seemed to have faded into the background again. But now we are getting constant reminders—through power outages, fuel shortages, and a general sense of anxiety," says Yakov, who declined to give his real name. "I personally have a strong feeling that, by continuing the war, Russia is racing headlong toward the abyss."