Missiles targeted the Oryol thermal power plant in Russia for the second time in the early hours of 5 November, according to videos and eyewitness accounts reported by Astra.
Local residents reported a series of powerful explosions near the city's thermal power station during the night.
"Sounds of a jet engine were heard before the explosions, indicating an attack by missiles or jet-powered drones," according to the reports. Local residents also believe the attack was carried out with missiles.
The governor of Oryol Oblast claimed that "air defense forces destroyed enemy UAVs, and debris damaged several private houses and an outbuilding." However, the published videos contain no sounds of air raid sirens in the city or the operation of Russian air defense systems.
The Oryol thermal power plant was previously attacked on the night of 31 October. According to the Ukrainian Navy, the facility was struck with Neptune cruise missiles at that time. The strike hit an open switchgear facility, causing massive power outages in the city.
The Oryol thermal power plant is the largest source of electricity and heat in the region, providing power system operations and heat supply for the city. "The installed electrical capacity of the station is 330 MW," according to the report.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a high-voltage substation near the Russian city of Vladimir on the night of 4-5 November, Astra reports, citing Vladimir Oblast Governor Alexander Avdeev.
The strike hit the Vladimirskaya substation (750 kV) in the Energetik settlement near Vladimir. Videos show fire and smoke. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed the type of facility that was attacked.
Vladimirskaya reportedly is a major energy facility in the region. Its installed capacity is approximately 4,010 MVA. The substation serves as a hub with numerous power lines of 110-750 kV voltage, servicing the region's energy system. "Its stable operation is critically important for the reliability and balance of Russia's energy system," the report says.
The same substation was attacked by strike drones on 31 October 2025, when a massive fire broke out, captured on video and photos by eyewitnesses.
The day before the Oryol and Vladimir strikes, Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted a series of drone strikes on two oil refining infrastructure facilities in Russia, attacking the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in the Republic of Bashkortostan and an oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.
