Russia Wakes Up in the Dark After Energy Sites Hit Oryol and Rostov Overnight

Missiles and drones struck energy infrastructure in the Russian cities of Oryol and Rostov-on-Don, causing disruptions to electricity, heating, and water supplies, according to footage published by the OSINT community Exilenova+ on December 19.

In Oryol, the administrative center of Russia’s Oryol region, a series of explosions reportedly hit the Oryol combined heat and power plant (CHP), one of the city’s key energy facilities.

Local authorities had issued a missile alert shortly before the explosions. Videos recorded by residents captured the distinctive sound of multiple missiles or jet-powered drones flying overhead, according to Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi.

Following the strike, residents reported disruptions to electricity, as well as interruptions to water and heating services across parts of the city.

The governor of the Oryol region later confirmed that a nighttime attack had damaged one of the city’s infrastructure facilities, without specifying the exact target.

“As a result of an enemy attack, a municipal infrastructure facility in the city of Oryol was damaged… Emergency repair crews are carrying out restoration work, and short-term restrictions to heat and energy supply, as well as hot water, are possible,” Andriy Klychkov wrote.

The Oryol CHP plant is the largest source of electricity and heat in the region, playing a central role in both the regional power grid and the city’s district heating system. The facility has an installed electrical capacity of 330 megawatts and has been targeted in previous attacks.

Explosions were also reported overnight in Rostov-on-Don. Following the blasts, power outages were recorded in parts of the city as well as in nearby settlements, according to local reports.

Earlier, a wave of strike drones hit one of Russia’s largest chemical plants, igniting a fire at the Acron industrial complex in Veliky Novgorod.

Acron PJSC is among Russia’s biggest chemical producers, manufacturing ammonia, nitric acid, ammonium nitrate and other materials that, according to media reporting, include components with dual-use applications—including ingredients used in explosive manufacturing.

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