Strike drones of the Ukrainian Defense Forces targeted the energy infrastructure near Melitopol that was being used by enemy forces. The attack caused power outages across a “significant portion” of the temporarily occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region.

The Supernova+ Telegram channel published a video of the strikes.

Footage shared by local residents shows a drone striking electrical substations, triggering a fire and causing widespread power outages.

According to the so-called “governor” of the Russian occupation administration, the attack on the region’s energy infrastructure caused power outages across a significant part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

Ураження електропідстанції поблизу тимчасово окупованого Мелітополя pic.twitter.com/J0YOnkYIs9

— Владислав (@Vladislav110528) January 17, 2026

As Ukrainian military officials explained during previous strikes, although such attacks lead to power outages for households in temporarily occupied territories, they simultaneously degrade the enemy’s capabilities.

In particular, they cut electricity to Russian barracks and disrupted the operation of command headquarters, logistics, radar posts, and other critical components of the occupation infrastructure.

Strikes on substations and an ammunition depot in the Donetsk region on the night of January 12–13, 2026. Photo credits: Unmanned Systems Forces

To complicate the presence of Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territories, over the past seven days alone – since January 10 – the Unmanned Systems Forces have struck five electrical substations (1, 2) in the temporarily occupied areas of the Donetsk region.