Missile strike leaves Russia's Belgorod without power, water and internet
Russian city of Belgorod faces blackout after power plant strike (photo: Getty Images)
Following a missile strike on the Michurinskaya thermal power plant, an energy infrastructure facility in Russia's Belgorod, the city has experienced widespread disruptions to essential services, according to OSINT channels and statements by Serhii Sternenko, an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister.
At present, residential areas are experiencing partial power and water outages, while serious disruptions to mobile communications and internet access have also been reported.
Consequences of the strike on the thermal power plant and the citywide blackout
The Michurinskaya thermal power plant is a key facility supplying energy to the production and administrative operations of the major industrial enterprise Belenergomash-BZEM.
The plant specializes in manufacturing pipes, complex metal structures, and other energy equipment for the Russian industry. The attacked thermal power plant has a generating capacity of between 24.2 MW and 36 MW.
Photo: Screenshot/social media
Photo: Screenshot/social media
Photo: Screenshot/social media
Photo: Screenshot/social media
Russian city of Belgorod faces blackout after power plant strike pic.twitter.com/gIxkI3nek0
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 3, 2026
As a result of the strike on the thermal power plant, the city experienced a power deficit, which directly affected municipal services. Russian emergency services confirmed significant damage to the networks.
Water supply problems
Following the disruption of the stable electricity supply after the missile strike, several strategic water supply facilities in Belgorod were left completely without power.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to systematically destroy the enemy's energy and oil refining infrastructure. As reported, within just 48 hours (July 1 and 2), Ukrainian strike drones successfully hit 12 electrical substations and one gas distribution station in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and Donbas.
Commenting on these results, Madyar, commander of Ukraine's drone forces, also made a kind of "prediction" specifically for Moscow.
In addition, during the night of July 2, Ukrainian drones successfully struck an oil refinery in the Russian city of Kstovo in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Following the attack, a major fire broke out at the facility. It is noted that another strategically important facility for Russia is located near the damaged refinery.
Overall, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have already successfully struck eight of the ten largest oil refineries in Russia. Some of these enemy facilities have been targeted by Ukrainian drones multiple times.
