Power outages recorded in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia region, media say


A serviceman of the 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces walks on a street, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) - The ⁠Russia-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region was experiencing ⁠emergency power blackouts on Friday, Russia-installed governor Yevgeny ‌Balitsky was quoted as saying by the Kommersant newspaper.

However, critical infrastructure was working as usual, he said, without providing further details, according to Kommersant.

Separately, ​the Russia-appointed head of the parts ⁠of southern Kherson region ⁠held by Russian forces, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram that ⁠nine ‌areas were cut off the power grid after drone attacks.

In the early hours of the morning ⁠on Friday, Russian defence systems were working to ​repel drone attacks ‌over Moscow, the nearby Yaroslavl region and the Leningrad ⁠region in ​the northwest, local authorities said on the Telegram messaging app.

Four drones headed for Moscow were downed and emergency services were ⁠deployed to the area, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ​said on Telegram, without providing details. There were no casualties in the regions of Yaroslavl and Leningrad, local governors said.

All ⁠the three regions, home to large Russian energy infrastructure, also came under drone attack earlier this week. Overall, Russia downed 217 drones overnight, Interfax newsagency said, citing the defence ​ministry.

In Ukraine's northern Sumy region, eleven ⁠people were injured in Russian shelling and drone attacks, including ​a 13-year-old boy, Ukrainian police said ‌on Telegram.

Reuters could not independently ​verify reports of military activity.

(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Kim Coghill and Kate Mayberry)

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