Russian FPV Drone Strike Injures 3 Ukrenergo Workers in Sumy

A Russian first-person view (FPV) drone hit a vehicle carrying employees of Ukraine’s state grid operator Ukrenergo in the northeastern city of Sumy on the morning of Monday, Nov. 9, injuring three energy workers, the company said. All three were taken to hospital. Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, said that preliminary information showed one of the victims had severe injuries and was undergoing surgery.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Ukrenergo said Russia deliberately targets not only energy infrastructure but also the people who run the grid and repair damaged equipment. The company called the attack another reminder of the price of keeping the lights on as Ukraine reports widespread blackouts following recent attacks. The attack on the crew follows a sharp escalation in Russian strikes on the energy sector. On Nov. 3, Ukrenergo said energy facilities had been hit more than 20 times in 24 hours in one of the largest attacks on the sector so far, triggering emergency outages in several regions, including Kyiv. Water supplies were also disrupted in the capital after the main utility company, Kyivvodokanal, lost power at key facilities. On Nov. 6, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian intelligence showed Russia was preparing a new attack on energy and civilian infrastructure, including bridges across the Dnipro River. Russia launched waves of ballistic missiles at Kyiv hours later. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the strikes damaged the North Bridge and energy facilities in the capital region, disrupting power, heating and water. Other Topics of Interest Ukrainian Forces Hit 4 Russian Drone Posts in 24 Hours Ukrainian forces struck four Russian drone command posts in 24 hours, including an elite Rubikon unit in Berdiansk, the General Staff reported. On Nov. 8, strikes on central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region left more than 600,000 residents without power, energy company DTEK said. Local authorities in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region reported that nearly 250,000 customers there were also cut off. Zelensky said the strikes caused widespread outages across the country. Zelensky said in early November that Russia was launching 300 to 400 drones a day at Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, with more than 2,000 strikes recorded since August. A recent UN report said Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure could amount to crimes against humanity. Energy workers have repeatedly come under direct fire. At least 160 Ukrainian energy workers were killed as of late 2025, according to AP News, with an attack in February 2026 killing 15 after a Russian drone hit a bus carrying miners. On Nov. 7, Russian forces struck a Naftogaz oil and gas facility three times overnight, damaging equipment and triggering a major fire. The company said early evacuations prevented casualties. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.