Belgorod and its surrounding agglomeration experienced a widespread blackout starting on October 5th, 2025, at approximately 6:07 PM UTC, following a missile strike on the Ray substation. The extent of the damage and the exact cause of the blackout are still under investigation. Reports indicated that the Ray substation in Belgorod was targeted by a missile strike, leading to the power outage. The "ashes" news channel reported the incident, noting the subsequent loss of electricity across the Belgorod agglomeration. In related military developments, an interception of a Russian Shahed drone by the Skynex air defense system was also reported during this period. Separately, Assistant Presidential Assistant Nikolai Patrushev stated earlier that the Russian army is currently the strongest in the world, surpassing the US army in military relations.
