Several Russian cities were plunged into sudden darkness late on the evening of January 24 and into the night of January 25, as reports of explosions, rocket strikes, drone threats, and unexplained power failures spread rapidly across social media and monitoring channels. From border regions near Ukraine to deep inside Russian territory, the incidents triggered widespread concern over the security of energy infrastructure and raised fresh questions about the scale and coordination of the disruptions.
Residents in multiple cities reported power outages, heating failures, fires, and loud detonations, while officials issued limited confirmations, often citing infrastructure damage or technical failures. The near-simultaneous nature of the events added to the sense of uncertainty, with authorities scrambling to assess the causes as emergency services were dispatched across affected regions.
Belgorod Hit by Rocket Fire as Power and Heating Systems Fail
The most severe incident was reported in Belgorod, where residents began sharing alerts shortly after 9:00 PM, claiming the city had come under attack by unidentified rockets. According to social media posts, the strikes targeted a local thermal power plant, triggering widespread power outages across the city.
Soon after the reports emerged, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed that the city had been struck, stating that the attack involved HIMARS rocket fire. While details remained limited, Gladkov acknowledged damage to critical energy infrastructure.
“There is damage to energy facilities. We are currently gathering information. Emergency crews and operational services have been dispatched to the sites,” the governor said.
Local Telegram channels reported that electricity and heating were disrupted in several districts, raising alarm among residents amid winter conditions. According to Pepel Belgorod, power interruptions were recorded in the Budivelnyk area, while other parts of the city experienced unstable electricity supply.
Eyewitnesses described flashes in the sky, loud explosions, and emergency vehicles racing through the streets as authorities attempted to stabilize the situation. Belgorod, which lies close to the Ukrainian border, has frequently appeared in reports of cross-border incidents, but the scale of the blackout marked one of the most serious disruptions in recent weeks.
Drone Threats, Explosions, and Blackouts Spread to Taganrog, Perm, and Beyond
As events unfolded in Belgorod, reports of new threats emerged from Taganrog, a city in Russia’s Rostov region. Earlier in the evening, local channels warned of unidentified drones operating in the area. By nightfall, videos began circulating online showing fires and explosions, followed by widespread power outages in residential and commercial buildings.
One eyewitness claimed the city was “being bombed,” while other channels suggested that a transformer failure may have caused the blackout. However, the timing of the power loss—coming shortly after reports of drone activity and explosions—fueled speculation that the incidents may be linked.
Further east, the Zakamsk district of Perm also plunged into darkness the same evening. The cause of the blackout remains officially unknown. Social media users noted that the Perm Powder Plant, a major industrial facility, is located in the affected area, adding to concerns about the vulnerability of key infrastructure. No official statement has confirmed whether the outage was accidental or the result of external factors.
Territory and security still divide Russia and Ukraine after Putin–U.S. meeting in Moscow
Additional disruptions were reported in other regions. On the evening of January 24, Zaraysk in the Moscow regionexperienced a partial blackout. A representative of Mosenergo later stated that the outage was caused by a network failure, suggesting a technical issue rather than an attack.
Meanwhile, monitoring channels reported that explosions were heard overnight in Oryol and in the Bryansk region, expanding the geographical spread of the disturbances. While details remain scarce, the reports added to the growing sense that multiple regions were affected within a short time span.
Taken together, the incidents marked a tense and unsettling night for residents across Russia, as power outages, explosions, and unanswered questions converged. Whether caused by direct strikes, drone activity, technical failures, or a combination of factors, the blackouts highlighted the increasing strain on energy and infrastructure systems amid ongoing regional instability.