Russians claim life is 'simply hopeless' after devastating Ukrainian drone barrage

A resident of Russia's Belgorod region has voiced her despair, describing life in Russia as "simply hopeless" due to Ukrainian drone strikes and power outages.

This was revealed in a call intercepted by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) and shared on social media on Oct. 13.

The woman, who resides in Belgorod Oblast bordering Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts, claimed she witnessed a significant Ukrainian drone attack. "Dozens of (strike drones) were launched somewhere. Can you imagine? ! I look and it's flying. Where will it fly, and what will it do, what is it targeting? It's simply hopeless," she said.

"Another day has passed, and glory to God. That's how things are now. We've lived to see this, well done," she added.

The authenticity of the intercepted call could not be independently confirmed by The Kyiv Independent, reports the Express US.

Just over a week ago, Russia's Belgorod Oblast experienced a blackout after Ukraine targeted a thermal power plant and substation in the city of Belgorod, as reported by Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Emergency repair teams were sent out to restore the power grid after approximately 40,000 people across seven municipalities lost electricity due to overnight strikes.

This incident occurred a week after similar attacks left many residents without power for two days.

For months, Ukraine has been on a mission to destabilise Russia's economy by attacking its oil and gas refineries as well as military sites. Russia, a country heavily reliant on its petroleum economy, is estimated to have lost at least 17% of its oil supply.

This has led to long queues at petrol stations and the country is also dealing with inflation and rising food costs.

On Sunday, Russian Telegram channels reported that a "missile strike" had hit the Luch substation in Belgorod, sparking a fire at the facility and causing power outages across the city.

A shocking video circulating on social media shows the moment the substation exploded into flames, cutting off electricity. The full extent of the damage to the facilities remains unclear.

Reports also suggest that water supplies and internet connectivity were disrupted following the explosion.

The same locations were targeted on 28 September, and it took Russian emergency services two days to restore electricity. As emergency workers continue to operate in the affected areas, hospitals in Belgorod have been forced to rely on emergency power.

Gladkov also noted that local officials have coordinated the operation of educational facilities to manage the blackouts. Other infrastructure affected includes a petroleum refinery in the Krasnodar region, where a fire broke out in one of its structures, injuring two people who are now in hospital.

According to Gladkov, as of 6 October, intermittent power outages continue in 24 communities, affecting 5,400 people.