Overnight on 18 November, drones struck the Zuivska thermal power station in occupied Zuhres in Donetsk Oblast, triggering a fire at the facility.

In videos released by Telegram channel Exilenova+, the sound of UAVs can be heard, along with Russian air defense systems operating and a powerful explosion. Fire subsequently broke out on the facility's grounds. Later reports suggested the strike drones likely hit the transformer of the second boiler, which was knocked out of service.

Local social media accounts reported that power outages began in occupied Donetsk and Makiivka following the explosions, while Ilovaisk lost electricity completely.

The occupation administration later confirmed the strike, claiming that in addition to Zuivska, the Starobeshivska thermal power station was also allegedly attacked overnight.

"As a result of an attack on the Republic's energy system, the Zuivska and Starobeshivska thermal power stations were damaged. Many settlements were left without power, which caused heating plants and filtration stations to shut down," wrote Denis Pushilin, the so-called "governor" of the so-called "DNR."

Pushilin added that "relevant departments" are working in emergency mode.

The Zuivska thermal power station is located 40 km east of Donetsk. It has been under Russian control since 2014 and supplies electricity to temporarily occupied territory. Its capacity is approximately 1.2-1.3 GW (four power units of roughly 300 MW each).

In the early hours of 18 November, several social media accounts reported unidentified drones over occupied Donetsk Oblast. Within half an hour, reports emerged that power was flickering in Makiivka and some districts of Donetsk, while Ilovaisk lost power entirely.

Shortly after, videos appeared online showing that unidentified drones were attacking the Zuivska thermal power station. The published footage showed fire breaking out near the facility.

Around 4 am, local Telegram channels reported that power had gone out across all of Donetsk and parts of Makiivka. This occurred after reports of an attack on the Starobeshivska thermal power station, though what struck the facility remains unknown.

Ukrainian forces hit the Starobesheve thermal power station in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast late on 11 November, triggering a large explosion and subsequent fire that disrupted electricity supply across occupied territories from Donetsk to Mariupol.

The strike extends Ukraine's systematic energy warfare campaign into territories Russia has occupied since 2014. Ukrainian forces have conducted retaliatory strikes on Russian power infrastructure since October, after Moscow's winter terror campaign destroyed over half of Ukraine's pre-war generating capacity in early 2025. The Starobesheve attack shifts focus from Russian territory to energy supplies sustaining occupation administrations.

Strategic facility powers Russian occupation infrastructure

The Starobesheve thermal power plant, located in Novyi Svit settlement, has a reported electrical capacity of about 2,300 MW and serves as the primary source of power supply for the occupied territories, Militarnyi reported. Purported videos posted on social media appear to show a large explosion and subsequent fire emanating from the Starobesheve power plant, captured by local residents.

Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, noted that the plant was damaged and out of order, which caused massive power outages in the occupied cities—from Donetsk to Mariupol. Residents say electricity in homes is intermittent, with some appliances malfunctioning, according to RBC-Ukraine.

The facility has been under Russian control since 2014. After Ukraine disconnected the occupied parts of Donbas from its national grid in 2017, the Starobesheve and Zuiivska thermal power plants remained the main electricity sources for the Russian-occupied territories, RBC-Ukraine reported.

Ukraine expands deep-strike energy campaign

The Starobesheve strike is part of Ukraine's broader campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure:

• Days before Starobesheve, Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated assault on fuel and drone infrastructure in Volgograd, Crimea, and Donetsk
• Ukrainian forces conducted more than 160 precision strikes on oil refineries and energy facilities in 2025, reducing Russia's oil production by up to 90% and causing a fuel shortage of over 20%, according to Security Service of Ukraine chief Vasyl Malyuk
• Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit power facilities deep inside Russia for several consecutive nights, demonstrating both reach and precision
• The International Energy Agency estimates Ukrainian strikes cut Russia's refining output by 500,000 barrels per day, keeping processing rates low until at least mid-2026
• President Zelenskyy warned that if Russia resumed its winter terror campaign on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Ukraine would strike back in kind.