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Russian Drone Hits Vehicle Carrying Power Plant Workers, Killing Three in Donetsk Region

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
News Writer
Flames engulf a destroyed vehicle as rescuers work at the scene of a Russian attack in the Donetsk region, on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
Flames engulf a destroyed vehicle as rescuers work at the scene of a Russian attack in the Donetsk region, on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

Russian forces attacked a vehicle carrying employees of the Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant with a drone on the morning of February 17, killing three workers, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy reported.

“This is yet another reminder of how high the price of light and heat in our homes is. Our sincere condolences to everyone who has lost their relatives and loved ones,” the ministry wrote.

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According to the ministry, the strike occurred amid another wave of overnight attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Russian forces launched a combined missile and drone assault on facilities in several regions, resulting in power outages in the Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Heat supply disruptions were also reported in Odesa and Sumy.

Emergency repair crews have begun restoration work in all areas where security conditions allow, the ministry said.

“In most regions, forced hourly power outages are in effect, while businesses are operating under capacity limitation schedules. In certain regions, emergency shutdowns have been imposed,” the statemnet concluded.

A firefighter hoses down the remains of a car set ablaze after shelling in the Donetsk region, on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
A firefighter hoses down the remains of a car set ablaze after shelling in the Donetsk region, on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
Emergency workers extinguish a burning vehicle following a Russian strike in the Donetsk region on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
Emergency workers extinguish a burning vehicle following a Russian strike in the Donetsk region on February 17, 2026. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

Russia carried out a large-scale combined missile and drone strike overnight on February 17, launching a total of 425 aerial weapons at targets across Ukraine, primarily focusing on critical infrastructure and the energy sector.

According to official data, the attack affected 12 regions and left at least one person dead and nine others injured, including children. Tens of thousands of residents were left without electricity.

The energy sector appeared to be the primary target. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy investor, confirmed that one of its thermal power plants in Odesa sustained “extremely serious” damage.

“We are currently working on-site: clearing rubble. We will do everything possible to eliminate the consequences of the attack as soon as possible,” DTEK said, noting that the restoration of damaged equipment would take considerable time.

As a result of the strike, tens of thousands of residents in Odesa were left without heating and water supply.

Earlier, Russian troops launched a deliberate attack on a residential property in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, killing three brothers and wounding their mother and grandmother.

According to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the strike occurred at approximately 9:15 p.m. and targeted a residential area of the city. A private home sustained a direct hit, claiming the lives of two 19-year-old men and their 8-year-old sibling.

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