Ukraine Drone Strikes Kill Three in Russia's Belgorod; Power Outages Hit Multiple Regions

Municipal employees are sifting through the debris of homes impacted by a Russian drone strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on November 2, 2026. Ukrainian drone attacks have resulted in three fatalities in Russia's Belgorod region, while simultaneous strikes disrupted power supplies to numerous cities in Ukraine and parts of Russian-occupied Crimea, according to officials.

Local authorities in Belgorod, a region bordering Ukraine, confirmed the three deaths on Wednesday. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia's overnight assaults damaged power generation facilities and substations across nine regions, leading to emergency power outages in many cities. Russia's Defence Ministry acknowledged on Telegram that it had struck two power stations in Ukraine's Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. Ukraine has consistently asserted that Moscow is targeting its energy infrastructure as temperatures fall ahead of winter.

Overnight, Russian attacks on critical infrastructure caused prolonged power and water disruptions in Kyiv and its surrounding areas. Residents of the capital were advised to utilize public drinking water fountains, and emergency centers offering hot beverages and charging stations for devices were established in the most severely affected locations. Power outages were also reported in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, which is home to approximately 2.5 million residents. Russia's Ministry of Energy indicated that Ukrainian strikes had impacted energy infrastructure overnight, necessitating temporary outage schedules. The ministry did not specify the number of affected households. However, reports also suggested that power cuts were ordered in Russia-held Crimea following an incident outside the region, as reported by a Moscow-appointed official, according to Reuters news agency.

In addition to the capital, Kyiv, Russia's strikes also affected the regions of Poltava, Dnipro, Kirovohrad, and Rivne, Reuters reported, citing Ukraine's emergency service and local officials. In southern Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack ignited a fire at a significant warehouse owned by Ozon, often referred to as Russia's Amazon. The strikes targeted an Ozon distribution facility in the town of Adygeysk, located in the Republic of Adygea, according to regional head Murat Kumpilov. Ozon confirmed that all employees were evacuated without injury and stated that damaged goods had been removed from listings, with deliveries rerouted. Russia's Defence Ministry also claimed to have intercepted 709 Ukrainian drones across 14 regions, Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.

Regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that United States President Donald Trump would continue his peace initiatives following a significant Democratic victory in the congressional midterms, which was seen as a setback for the president. "President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," Peskov stated. When questioned about whether a change in Congress might impede Trump's peace efforts, Peskov, as cited by the state-run Interfax news outlet, remarked that it was "an internal matter for America." A Democratic-controlled legislature in January is anticipated to foster a more strongly pro-Kyiv majority in Congress, potentially influencing Trump's approach, though hopes for the US to resume its role as a major financial supporter of Ukraine are slim.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy presented US First Lady Melania Trump with the Order of Princess Olga, an award recognizing women who have made contributions to Ukraine, according to a presidential decree issued on Wednesday. The decree highlighted Melania Trump's "significant personal contribution" in supporting humanitarian aid and children in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have credited the US First Lady with playing a crucial role in arranging a six-day local ceasefire to facilitate the evacuation of civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which concluded on Sunday.