Russia’s Massive Strike On Odesa Targets Port Infrastructure And NATO Supplies For The Ukrainian Armed Forces

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On the night of November 16-17, Russia and Ukraine continued their mutual exchange of strikes. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian air defense systems destroyed 36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched against Russian territory. The majority of the downed drones were reported in the Bryansk (14), Tambov (8), and Ulyanovsk (5) regions. For the same period, the Ukrainian Air Force reported 128 attack UAVs launched against targets in Ukraine, with 91 of them being jammed or shot down. 

Russian strikes targeted six regions across Ukraine. In the Odesa region, Russian forces conducted two waves of attacks using Geran-2 unmanned aerial vehicles on Izmail. During the first wave, a large substation powering the military port was destroyed, while the second wave destroyed a ferry carrying NATO military supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Additionally, a shipbuilding plant located near the port came under attack, where, according to preliminary data, workshops assembling unmanned boats were destroyed.

In the Kharkiv region, Russian strikes hit Balakliya, Izyum, and Lozova. In Balakliya, a key substation was severely damaged, leading to power outages at Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) military enterprises and warehouses. Reports also indicated that a temporary deployment point was hit, resulting in significant losses. In Lozova, the railway station and a gas compressor station in the village of Linamovka were targeted.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, in the Vasylivka district, a missile strike from an Iskander-M system reportedly hit launch units of the mobile Neptune coastal missile complex and HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems—high-value weapons systems for the Ukrainian army.

In the Sumy region, near the town of Boromlia, Iskander missiles and Geran drones struck warehouses of the company Naftogaz-Prima. According to sources, military equipment, repair workshops with machinery and machine tools were destroyed there. Northeast of Sumy, a strike by five drones hit an AFU training ground, which could impact personnel training. Explosions were also recorded in the Chernihiv region.

Ukrainian drone attacks were concentrated on Russian energy infrastructure targets. In the Ulyanovsk region, UAVs attacked the 500 kV Veshkayma substation; however, according to the governor, the power supply was not disrupted, and the attack was repelled.

In the Donetsk People’s Republic, a significant strike hit the 330 kV Chaikino substation in Makiivka. This attack caused an emergency shutdown of the Starobeshevo Thermal Power Plant, leading to large-scale, cascading power outages. Partial blackouts were reported in Donetsk, Horlivka, Makiivka, Yenakieve, and Yasynuvata, affecting, according to available data, approximately 500,000 subscribers.

Against the backdrop of ongoing mutual attacks accompanied by significant destruction, the Ukrainian side is pinning hopes on new technological solutions. It is reported that in the coming weeks, Ukraine may deploy the world’s first air defense system known as a “wall of drones.” The developer, the company Atreyd, claims the system consists of a group of small, AI-controlled drones that form a “flying minefield” in the sky. A portion of the drones detonates upon the approach of a threat, while unused units return to base for redeployment. The developer claims 100% effectiveness in tests; however, real-world verification in combat conditions will be the first for this technology. For now, as recent events demonstrate, Russian drones continue to break through to their targets, striking Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

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