Russia continued its campaign of daily drone attacks against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure overnight on 24-25 September, again focusing heavily on energy systems across the country. The strike led to civilian deaths, fires, and train delays.

Russia targets energy infrastructure in latest drone attack across Ukraine

Russia launched another overnight assault using 176 drones, most of them of the Shahed explosive drones and Gerbera decoys, alongside other unmanned systems. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, around 150 drones were shot down or electronically suppressed across the country’s north, south, east, and center. Despite these efforts, 13 drones still hit their targets, striking critical infrastructure across eight locations and causing damage in at least one more area from falling drone debris.

The attack came from multiple launch points including Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, and Chauda in Russian-occupied Crimea. 

In one of the most visible impacts, the energy system in multiple oblasts suffered direct hits, triggering blackouts and fires.

In Vinnytsia Oblast, officials reported that parts of the city were left without electricity, and rail traffic was halted temporarily. According to the first deputy head of the oblast, Nataliia Zabolotna, the strikes did not injure any civilians in that area. Fire crews extinguished a blaze at the affected site by 05:30.

Civilian casualties reported in other oblasts

While Vinnytsia avoided civilian casualties, other regions were not as fortunate. In Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian Shahed drone struck a municipal utility building in the village of Prykolotne around 03:00, killing a 59-year-old man and sparking a fire. Ten firefighters and emergency medical teams responded. Local prosecutors confirmed the attack and its timing.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian forces carried out 582 attacks on 12 settlements over the past 24 hours. These included drone strikes, artillery fire, and other weapons. The head of the oblast, Ivan Fedorov, reported that the Russian attacks killed a 68-year-old woman Vasylivskyi Raion, and injured an 82-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman in Polohy Raion. Authorities received at least 35 reports of damaged homes, infrastructure, and vehicles.

In Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad oblasts, additional drone strikes triggered power outages on railway sections, delaying multiple trains and forcing passengers into shelters. Ukrainian Railways deployed backup diesel locomotives and confirmed that passengers would reach their destinations, albeit with delays.

Damage from previous attacks still being repaired

In Kharkiv city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that about 5,000 households remained without electricity on the morning of 25 September due to earlier Russian attacks on 23 September. He added that the damage was serious, and recovery operations by utility crews and Kharkivoblenergo were ongoing.