Intense Assault in Poltava and Chernihiv: Russian Drone and Missile Strikes Cause Power Outages
In a disturbing turn of events, the Poltava region in Ukraine experienced a massive attack early Tuesday morning, August 19, 2025. Russian forces launched a coordinated assault using ballistic and cruise missiles, along with a significant number of strike drones and drone imitators[1][2][3].
The attack caused large-scale fires at the oil refinery facilities in Kremenchuk, as confirmed by NASA FIRMS satellite imagery, and damage to other energy infrastructure in the region, including Lubny, where electricity supplies were disrupted[2][3].
Residential buildings and energy infrastructure in Kremenchuk were among the targets, affecting thousands of residents. For instance, in Lubensky district, about 1,471 residential and 119 business subscribers lost power due to the strikes[2].
The Russian assault on energy infrastructure is described by Ukraine's Ministry of Energy as a systematic terrorist campaign, with over 2,900 attacks since March 2025, violating international humanitarian law[2]. The strikes came hours after peace talks between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump concluded, indicating a possible strategic timing by Russia[1].
Beyond Kremenchuk, other oblasts such as Chernihiv were also affected by drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure, leading to power outages[3]. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported a group strike on an oil refinery that supplies fuel to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas.
However, there were no reported casualties in the attack. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia used Tu-95MS strategic bombers in the attack. A 45-year-old local civilian male was killed in the drone attack on Nizhyn, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus.
Mayor Vitaly Maletsky thanked air defense units for repelling part of the attack and the State Emergency Service (DSNS) for quickly extinguishing the fires. The governor of the region, Volodymyr Kohut, confirmed that administrative buildings of local energy companies were damaged.
Specialists are currently conducting a technical inspection of the equipment and assessing the extent of the damage. The Ukrainian government and international partners are working to restore power and energy supplies as quickly as possible.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2025, August 19). Russia launches missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62598112
[2] The Guardian. (2025, August 19). Russia attacks Ukraine's Kremenchuk oil refinery in latest assault on energy infrastructure. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/19/russia-attacks-ukraines-kremenchuk-oil-refinery-in-latest-assault-on-energy-infrastructure
[3] Reuters. (2025, August 19). Russia attacks Ukraine's Kremenchuk oil refinery in fresh assault on energy infrastructure. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-attacks-ukraines-kremenchuk-oil-refinery-fresh-assault-energy-infrastructure-2025-08-19/
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