Belgorod's governor says about 600,000 people were left without electricity, heating and water after a reported Ukrainian missile strike, and officials called restoration efforts "extremely challenging." Reuters footage showed streets darkened as residents used torches and car headlights. The border region, with a pre-war population of roughly 1.5 million, has faced repeated attacks since February 2022. Freezing temperatures across the region raise urgent humanitarian concerns as repairs continue.
Belgorod: 600,000 Left Without Power, Heat or Water After Reported Ukrainian Missile Strike
A residential building during a power blackout, that according to local authorities was caused by a recent Ukrainian missile attack targeting the regional energy system, amid the Russia-Ukraine military conflict in Belgorod, Russia, January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
MOSCOW, Jan 10 (Reuters) — The governor of Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said on Saturday that around 600,000 residents were left without electricity, heating and water following a reported Ukrainian missile strike.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a Telegram post that emergency teams were working to restore services but that the situation remained "extremely challenging." Local officials have mobilised repair crews, but damage to infrastructure and freezing temperatures have complicated recovery efforts.
"The situation is extremely challenging," Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.
Footage filmed by Reuters in Belgorod city showed streets plunged into darkness and residents using hand-held torches and car headlights to find their way. The region, which borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and had a pre-war population of about 1.5 million, has experienced repeated attacks since Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Buildings during a power blackout, that according to local authorities was caused by a recent Ukrainian missile attack targeting the regional energy system, amid the Russia-Ukraine military conflict in Belgorod, Russia, January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Both sides have struck civilian energy and heating infrastructure during the conflict. Russia has frequently bombarded Ukrainian power networks, causing rolling blackouts, while Russian regions near the border have also been hit by cross-border strikes. An overnight strike on Thursday reportedly left roughly half of Kyiv's apartment blocks without heat.
Temperatures across much of Russia and Ukraine have been well below freezing in recent days, increasing the humanitarian stakes as outages persist and repair work continues.
Reporting by Reuters. Writing by Felix Light. Editing by Mark Potter.
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