Ukrainian forces reported drone activity in Kharkiv and Sumy regions between 10:56 PM and 10:57 PM UTC on October 5th, 2025. Simultaneously, an ammunition depot in Pavlopil', near Mariupol, was reportedly hit by Ukrainian forces, with local sources indicating explosions and a large fire. The blackout in Belgorod, which began earlier on October 5th, 2025, also continued during this period. Over the past hour, Ukrainian forces have been active, with one drone detected in the south of Kharkiv and four drones reported in the Sumy region, according to war monitor accounts. Meanwhile, an ammunition depot located in Pavlopil', close to Mariupol, was targeted and struck by Ukrainian forces, as confirmed by local reports of significant explosions and a large fire at the site. This follows a previous report of a widespread blackout in Belgorod and its surrounding areas, originating from a missile strike on the Ray substation. In broader military assessments, Ukraine's Air Force spokesman confirmed to national television that Ukrainian Patriot air defense systems are facing increased difficulties intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. This is attributed to the missiles now flying on quasi-ballistic trajectories, approaching targets from multiple directions and oscillating in their terminal phase, which complicates the Patriot system's automatic engagement mode. This observation aligns with reporting from the Financial Times that suggests Russia may have succeeded in altering ballistic missiles to evade Ukrainian air defenses since May 2025. Statistics released indicate that since May 2025, Russia has deployed 19,752 guided bombs, with significant portions directed at Pokrovsk and Sumy. Across the entire year, Russia has launched 35,148 bombs, 1,488,990 artillery strikes, and 923,047 FPV drone strikes. Recent reports also suggest Russian forces have resumed pushing towards Druzhkivka, while Ukraine is reportedly preparing a third defensive line in Donbas. The ongoing situation in Belgorod remains critical, with reports confirming a continued lack of power in the city. This follows an earlier incident where a missile strike targeted the Ray substation, leading to a widespread outage across the Belgorod agglomeration.
