Konotop Residents Face Fourth Night of Darkness After Drone Attacks

Residents in the Ukrainian city of Konotop are entering their fourth night without electricity after Russian strikes damaged local energy infrastructure. The blackout began on the night of October 23 and 24 and has persisted through the night of October 26 and 27.

Artem Semenikhin, the mayor of Konotop, told the public broadcaster Suspilne that the power situation remains uncertain. He stated there are no forecasts for when electricity will return to the grid. Semenikhin noted that most of the city has also lost its gas supply.

The outage has forced local institutions to rely on backup systems. Semenikhin said the city hospital is currently operating on generators. Educational facilities sustained damage during the attacks. Water distribution has shifted to a scheduled basis, with service available from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and again from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Sumyoblenergo, the regional power distribution company, reported that emergency crews are working around the clock to repair the damage. The utility stated that the repair timeline depends on the security situation and crew access to the damaged sites.

Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on the Konotop area after 3:00 a.m. on October 24. The strikes hit energy facilities, a school, and residential buildings. A separate drone struck an agricultural business in the Konotop district on the afternoon of October 24, killing a 31-year-old farm worker and injuring four others.