Ukrainian forces struck the Luch combined heat and power plant in Belgorod overnight on 15 December, according to Belgorod Oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, ASTRA, and The Moscow Times.
"Preliminarily, no one was injured," Gladkov claimed, though he confirmed "serious damage to engineering infrastructure."
Windows were damaged in six apartment buildings and one private house.
Local outlet Pepel reported a large plume of smoke rising over the power plant area following the strike. ASTRA geolocated the source of the smoke.
The Luch CHP plant is one of Belgorod's key energy facilities, running on natural gas and supplying electricity and heat to the Kharkovskaya Gora neighborhood and other city districts, according to Russian media.
This marks the fourth attack on Belgorod's energy infrastructure in recent months. On 28 September, Ukrainian forces targeted the Luch plant and a city substation, causing power outages in parts of Belgorod, Stary Oskol, Shebekino, and several other settlements in the region. One of the plant's power units was hit again on 5 October, leaving thousands of residents without electricity. Another strike followed on 10 November.
The overnight operation extended beyond Belgorod. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported from the evening of 14 December through the morning of 15 December about drones allegedly shot down over the Russian capital, claiming a total of 15 drones were destroyed. He mentioned only "falling debris" after the "downings" but provided no information about consequences. Sheremetyevo Airport imposed restrictions under the "carpet" plan, with aircraft arrivals and departures requiring coordination with relevant authorities.
In Rostov Oblast, Governor Yuri Slyusar said drone attacks hit several districts. A car caught fire, a private house roof was damaged, and some buildings had partially damaged windows. He said that damage to power lines in Kamyansk district shut down a water intake facility and pumping station. Residents of the Zavodskoy neighborhood in Kamyansk, Maslovka hamlet, and Pogorelovo station were left without water supply.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight. The ministry's breakdown: 38 over Astrakhan Oblast, 25 over Bryansk Oblast, 25 over Moscow Oblast (including 15 headed for Moscow), eight each over Belgorod, Rostov, and Kaluga oblasts, six over Tula Oblast, four over the Republic of Kalmykia, three each over Kursk and Oryol oblasts, one over Ryazan Oblast, and one over the Caspian Sea.
According to Telegram channel Shot, citing Moscow and Moscow Oblast residents, explosions were heard overnight in the Istra district of the capital, as well as in Kolomna and Kashira in Moscow Oblast.
Recent Ukrainian drone operations have intensified. On 11 December, Russia reported attacks on Moscow, Novgorod, and Smolensk regions. On 12 December, Russians claimed an attack on an oil refinery in Yaroslavl and a hit on an apartment building in Tver.
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