Hundreds of thousands of Russians plunged into darkness

Russia: Explosions in Belgorod at major electrical substation

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Ukraine continues to fight back in its war against Russia after it struck an electricity distribution centre in the city of Belgorod. Video footage shows the strike, with the building erupting into balls of flames.

The attack, thought to be by Ukrainian forces, left the major city in “pitch black”.

The strike will come as a major blow to Vladimir Putin as the Russian Army uses Belgorod, which is close to the Ukraine’s border, to launch missiles at Kharkiv.

Visegrád 24 tweeted: “Another video of the aftermath following the Ukrainian strike on the electricity distribution centre in the Russian city of Belgorod.

 

“As the Russian city of a Belgorod is left pitch black tonight after a Ukrainian strike on an electricity distribution centre, the only thing that can be seen is an illuminated ‘Z-Symbol’ powered by another source… ironic….”

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported “good news” from the front near Kharkiv in the east, saying some settlements had been recaptured as both sides reported heavy fighting in the region.

Ukrainian and pro-Russian officials said there was fighting around the town of Balakleiia about 38 miles southeast of Kharkiv, with unconfirmed reports of heavy losses to Russian forces.

An explosion at a power plant near Odesa in the south, meanwhile, cut electricity supplies to 360,000 people, a spokesperson for the regional administration said.

Ukraine remained guarded about its counter-offensive in the east but presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych, in a video posted on YouTube, said Ukrainian troops had surprised Russian defenders at Balakleiia.

Referring to the main transport hub supplying Russian forces in Izyum to the east, he said: “The Russians are saying that Balakleiia is encircled when in fact (our troops) have gone much further … they’ve cut off the road to Kupiansk.”

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to halt all energy shipments to Europe, if Brussels goes ahead with a proposal to cap the price of Russian gas, in a combative speech declaring his nation would not lose the war in Ukraine.

Putin said in a speech on Wednesday to an economic forum in Russia’s Far East that Russia would not lose what he calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

He threatened to halt all supplies of energy to Europe if Brussels went ahead with its proposed price cap on Russian gas, the latest Western step to deprive the Kremlin of funds to finance the war.

The Russian despot said: “We will not supply gas, oil, coal, heating oil – we will not supply anything” if that occurs.”

Europe usually imports about 40 percent of its gas and 30 percent of its oil from Russia.

Asked about the war’s progress at the forum in Vladivostok, Putin said: “We have not lost anything and will not lose anything.”

Russian forces overnight fired rockets and heavy artillery into towns in several districts, killing seven civilians, wounding others and damaging more than a dozen houses and buildings.

Zaporizhzhia’s regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko wrote on Telegram: “The night was full of alarms and shelling.”He said at least 11 houses and other buildings were damaged, but there were no reports of injuries.

In Kharkiv region, regional officials said five people were hospitalised and in Donetsk seven were killed.

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