Ukraine drone attacks cut power and water in Crimea, hit Russian petrochemical plant

Russia seized the peninsula in 2014, and it has since been a regular target of Ukrainian attacks (Representative image: PTI).

Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted electricity and water supplies in Russian-occupied Crimea on Saturday, while a separate barrage damaged industrial infrastructure in southeastern Russia, according to Russian and Ukrainian officials.Moscow's installed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said restrictions on electricity and water supplies had been imposed following damage to the main power grids outside the peninsula. AFP reported.“As a result of an incident that occurred on the main power grids outside our region, caused by an enemy attack using a drone, restrictions on the supply of electricity and water have been put in place,” Aksyonov wrote on Telegram.However, he did not specify how many households were affected in Crimea, which has a population of more than 2.5 million.Russia seized the peninsula in 2014, and it has since been a regular target of Ukrainian attacks.Russia's defence ministry said its forces had shot down 616 Ukrainian drones overnight across more than 20 regions. Local Russian authorities reported several injuries caused by falling drone debris, which also sparked fires.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched at least 126 drones at the country overnight, of which 101 were shot down.Two people were wounded in the capital, Kyiv, according to Ukrainian emergency services.

Strike hits Russian petrochemical plant

In Togliatti, a city on the Volga river in southeastern Russia, a drone barrage damaged industrial infrastructure, Mayor Ilya Sukhikh said.Ukraine's general staff separately said Ukrainian forces had struck a Russian petrochemical plant in Togliatti overnight, causing an explosion and fire.

The statement was posted on Telegram on Saturday.The general staff also confirmed an attack on the Proton-Electrotex JSC plant in Oryol on Friday, that killed three. Reuters reported.Separately, Ukrainian defence minister Evhenii Khmara said on Saturday that SpaceX's satellite communications had been restored in Ukraine, with connection speeds exceeding 400 km/h.“We’re recording a speed of over 400 km/h; the connection is stable,” Khmara told reporters.