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Most of Ukraine's Chernihiv region without power after Russian attack

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on March 21, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

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Most of Ukraine's Chernihiv region without power after Russian attack
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KYIV, March 21 (Reuters) - Most of Ukraine's northern Chernihiv region was left without power on Saturday after a Russian drone attack, local governor Viacheslav Chaus said. He said repair works were

Ukraine says Russian attacks kill four people, leave thousands without power

Impact of Russian Attacks on Ukrainian Regions

Casualties and Injuries in Southeastern Ukraine

KYIV, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian attacks killed four people in southeastern Ukraine and left much of the northern region of Chernihiv without power on Saturday, officials said.

Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov said the morning attack on the city killed a man and a woman, and injured six others, including two children.

In the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said two people died in an area southeast of the main regional centre, Dnipro. Five people were injured in attacks at multiple places.

Widespread Power Outages

Strikes Across Eastern and Southern Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, noted Russian strikes in several regions across eastern and southern Ukraine.

Damage to Chernihiv Region

He said power had been cut to parts of Chernihiv region, where Governor Viacheslav Chaus said efforts were under way to fix damage after a drone strike on an energy facility.

The region borders Russia and Belarus. The regional capital, also called Chernihiv, was fully without power, the city administration said.

Disruptions in Kyiv

Power and water supplies were cut to parts of the capital Kyiv after what officials described as an incident on the power grid.

Ongoing Bombardment of Energy Infrastructure

Russia has conducted a bombardment campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities throughout the war, causing regular, hours-long blackouts across the country.

Chernihiv was badly hit by power outages over the winter as Russia carried out its biggest bombing campaign of the four-year war against Ukraine's electricity grid.

Cross-Border Attacks in Belgorod Region

Across the Russian border in Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Ukrainian forces shelled a public building in the village of Smorodino, killing four people.

Belgorod has come under frequent Ukrainian attack during the war.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Alexander Smith, Rod Nickel and Ron Popeski)

Key Takeaways

  • The Chernihiv region, home to nearly a million pre-war residents, suffered major electrical infrastructure damage from a Russian drone attack.
  • Restoration crews have been mobilized swiftly, though repairs in such frontline regions remain recurrent and challenging.
  • This incident fits a broader Russian strategy of targeting Ukraine’s energy grid, resulting in repeated blackouts and strain on civilian services and infrastructure.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the power outage in Chernihiv region?
A Russian drone attack caused most of the Chernihiv region to lose power.
How is Ukraine addressing the power outage?
Repair works are underway to fix the damaged infrastructure in the region.
How many people were affected by the blackout?
Nearly one million people in Chernihiv region were affected by the power loss.
Has Russia targeted Ukrainian energy facilities before?
Yes, Russia has regularly targeted Ukrainian energy facilities, causing frequent blackouts nationwide.
Which areas does the Chernihiv region border?
The Chernihiv region borders Russia and Belarus.

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