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Drone strike hits Russian power substation — blackout follows in parts of Volgograd Oblast

Just like before, officials claim it was “falling debris” that left towns without electricity.
byYuri Zoria
16/10/2025
3 minute read
drone strike hits russian power substation — blackout follows parts volgograd oblast · post balashovskaya left right aa-guns fire sky moment hit rising over facility 16 2025 616385606 early hours
Drone strike on the Russian Balashovskaya substation in Volgograd Oblast. Left to right: Russian AA-guns fire in the sky, the moment of the hit, fire rising over the facility. 16 October 2025. Source: Telegram/Supernova+
Drone strike hits Russian power substation — blackout follows in parts of Volgograd Oblast

In the early hours of 16 October, drones reportedly hit the Balashovskaya electrical substation in Russia's Volgograd Oblast, about 600 km from the frontline in Ukraine. A fire broke out, and several settlements in the area were left without electricity, local authorities confirmed.

This comes as Russia continues its daily airstrikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, aiming to leave Ukrainians without power and heating as the cold season begins. Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign inside Russia primarily targets oil production facilities, as well as railway infrastructure — including substations — and military and defense industry sites. The current limited Ukrainian strikes on Russian power infrastructure are a response to Moscow’s campaign against Ukraine’s energy system.

Russian governor confirms fire after drone strike and power outages

Militarnyi reports that Volgograd Oblast Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed the incident. As is common for Russian officials, he did not acknowledge direct hits, claiming that “drone debris” landed on the substation after alleged air defense activity.

He posted on Telegram that “as a result of the UAV fragments falling in the Novonikolaevsky district on the territory of the Balashovskaya power transmission substation, a fire was recorded, which is being promptly extinguished by firefighters.”

According to him, emergency crews are now working to restore electricity to nearby settlements.

Eyewitnesses shared video on social media, which they claimed captured the moment of the impact.

Based on one of the videos, recorded in the area, Russian news Telegram channel Astra confirmed that the Balashovskaya substation was targeted.

 

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Russia’s Defense Ministry stated on the morning of 16 October that its air defense systems allegedly intercepted 11 drones overnight across Volgograd Oblast. 

Adjacent Voronezh Oblast reports blackouts after drone strike in Volgograd

Aleksandr Gusev, governor of adjacent Voronezh Oblast, reported power outage in parts of his region. He wrote on his Telegram channel that “several settlements remain without electricity during emergency work, which began after the repelling of the UAV attack in the neighboring region.”

Balashovskaya substation

The Balashovskaya electrical substation has a capacity of 1523 MVA. It serves as a major energy hub, enabling transit of electricity from the Volga Hydroelectric Station (Volzhskaya HPP) to Russia’s central regions. In addition to handling high-voltage energy flows, the substation also directly supplies electricity to parts of Volgograd Oblast, the southeastern section of Voronezh Oblast, and the western area of Saratov Oblast.

Another Russian substation possibly hit

The Telegram channel Supernova+ also shared a video showing a fire at a power substation in Valuyki, Belgorod Oblast, possibly caused by another Ukrainian strike.

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