Special Correspondent
Kyiv: In one of the largest overnight attacks in recent weeks, Russian forces launched a coordinated assault on Ukraine, deploying one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 145 strike drones overnight. Ukrainian air defense units intercepted 107 drones and the single missile, according to the Air Force Command. Around 90 of the downed drones were Shahed-type, while confirmed strikes by 36 drones were reported in 20 different locations across the country. As of 09:00, operations to repel ongoing drone activity were still underway.
Energy and Nuclear Facilities Targeted
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Russian strikes hit critical substations supporting Ukraine’s nuclear power infrastructure. The South Ukraine (SUNPP) and Khmelnytskyi (KhNPP) nuclear power plants each lost access to one external power line. At the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, two of four power units reduced output at the request of the national grid operator. Due to the intensity of attacks, the IAEA team stationed at KhNPP was forced to take shelter in a nearby hotel for several hours.
Civilian Areas Under Fire
Russian drones struck civilian infrastructure in Sumy on the evening of October 30, launching ten drones within one hour. A nine-story apartment building and a two-story residential structure were hit, injuring eleven civilians, including four children.
Transport and Energy Infrastructure Damaged
Overnight, Russian strikes also targeted railway infrastructure in the Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, damaging rolling stock and causing train delays. No casualties were reported as railway staff managed to reach shelters in time.
In Odesa Oblast, a separate drone strike hit an industrial energy facility, triggering a fire that was quickly extinguished by emergency services.
Ongoing Attacks in Southern Ukraine
In Kherson, Russian artillery shelling killed two people and injured thirteen others in the Dnipro district, damaging market pavilions and causing fires. Another person was injured by a drone strike in the same area. In Bilozerka, two additional civilians were wounded—one in an artillery strike and another in a drone attack.
Strikes Reported in Other Regions
The Koriukivka community in Chernihiv Oblast was also hit, with infrastructure and agricultural enterprises damaged and one woman injured. Near Zaporizhzhia, an airstrike targeted the Bilenke community; as officials recorded the aftermath, an enemy drone attacked the inspection team on site.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian forces used artillery, FPV, and kamikaze drones, killing one woman and injuring two others in Synelnykivskyi, Nikopolskyi, and Pavlohradskyi districts.
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