Russian forces used new Shahed-type drones equipped with 12-channel antennas in the 16 February attack on Mykolaiv, which damaged a thermal power plant and left thousands of people without heating in winter, says Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, according to Ranok.LIVE.
Kim reveals that the Russian army began using such drones in 2025. He clarified that the damage to communications and critical civilian infrastructure was not caused by falling debris but by direct strikes.
“These were direct hits… We see that Mykolaiv has been attacked by Shaheds with 12-channel antennas for the first time. Previously, the maximum was eight. This means that these new drones have appeared in Russia since 2025, and in my opinion, the Russians are capable of producing them domestically,” Kim stated.
He added that military and technical experts are currently analyzing the available information and working on countermeasures.
Despite the Russian attack, the city’s heating is being restored, though the water temperature in the heating system has not yet reached normal levels but is gradually increasing.
“As for heating, which was lost by 100,000 people… As of 8 a.m., we have restored the heat supply. The temperature is rising to operational levels. It is still low, but it is being increased gradually to avoid accidents. Thanks to energy workers, the situation has been stabilized,” Kim emphasizes.
On the night of 16 February, Russian forces deliberately targeted Mykolaiv’s critical infrastructure, with drones damaging the city’s thermal power plant. Later, Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych stated that the attack completely destroyed the city’s power generation system, which cannot be restored in the near future.
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