Major mutual strikes targeting energy and industrial infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia

On November 8 and 9, 2026, Russia launched a significant series of strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The attacks resulted in power outages for over 600,000 residents in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to the energy company DTEK. Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed hitting energy substations in the Zhytomyr region that supply the national defense industry, as well as a cargo ship in the port of Odesa, which Moscow claims was transporting weapons and military equipment. Reuters noted that these reports remain unverified by independent sources.

Simultaneously, the Leningrad region in northwest Russia faced a major drone attack on November 9. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that drones targeted an industrial area in the city of Kirishi, home to a large oil refinery. Officials stated that 81 drones were intercepted while the attack was ongoing. One apartment building in Kirishi sustained damage, though further details on the extent of the impact on industrial capacity were not immediately provided. The region serves as a critical hub for oil and grain exports via the Baltic Sea.