Drone strike on power substation causes widespread outages in Donetsk

A drone attack on a power substation in the occupied Donetsk region has led to widespread power outages across several cities, including Donetsk and Makiivka. 

The strike occurred overnight between November 17 and 18, 2025, beginning around 11:50 PM local time, and quickly triggered blackouts across the area, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

Local Telegram channels reported that within 30 minutes of the attack, power disruptions were felt in Makiivka and various districts of Donetsk, while Ilovaisk was completely cut off from the power grid.

Reports soon emerged of additional drone strikes targeting the Zuyivska thermal power plant (TPP) in Zuhres, where videos on social media showed a fire breaking out at the facility. Some sources claim that the attack disabled the transformer of the second boiler at the plant, further exacerbating the power shortages.

By Sabina Mammadli