Power cuts and drones: Ukraine's security picture, 25 October 2022

What did Ukraine's security situation look like on 25 October 2022? The reports from the days before that date point to a country under sustained air attack, with its energy network a main target.

On 20 October 2022, a Russian missile struck a major thermal power station in Burshtyn, in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk said it caused "quite serious damage".

Two days later, on 22 October 2022, power outages were reported across Ukraine. Citizens were advised to store water as Russian airstrikes across the country continued to damage critical infrastructure and energy facilities.

The drone dimension

Also on 20 October 2022, the United States reported that Iranian troops were in Crimea, helping the Russian military use Iranian drones. That placed foreign personnel in the occupied peninsula, according to the American account.

What the picture showed

Taken together, the reports described two linked developments as of 25 October 2022: repeated strikes on power generation and infrastructure, and outside help for Russia's use of drones. For civilians, the practical effect was outages and official advice to prepare water supplies.

The Burshtyn strike showed that damage was not confined to one region, and the nationwide outages on 22 October 2022 confirmed the breadth of the pressure on the grid.