Russia launched drone strikes targeting Ukrainian regions overnight, hitting energy infrastructure, destroying residential and commercial buildings and injuring at least seven people, officials said.

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 38 of 42 Russian drones in over eight regions of the country, according to the air force. It is one of the largest attacks by Russian drones on Ukrainian soil in several weeks.

The Ukrainian Air Force announced that in the southern, central, western and northeastern parts of the country Iranian-made Russian Shahed drones were shot down.

In some areas anti-aircraft sirens sounded for more than two hours.

The Ministry of Energy announced that a substation was affected in the Khmelnytsky region in the west of the country, leaving more than 14,000 consumers in 30 settlements without electricity.

In Kharkiv Oblast, in the northeastern part of the country, the attack destroyed a school building, while in Dnipropetrovsk the power distribution network was affected, regional officials said.

Many private homes, a natural gas pipeline and shops were affected in Odesa, in the south of the country, according to the same sources.

Russian forces have repeatedly attempted to disrupt Ukraine’s energy system during the critical cold months.

These attacks have targeted various facilities–from power plants to the local heating and electricity distribution network.

The World Bank estimates the scale of the disaster in Ukraine’s energy sector to be around $12 billion.

Thanks to stronger anti-aircraft defenses, warmer temperatures and rebuilding efforts, Ukraine managed to get through this winter without major power outages.

In Sumi, in the northeast of the country, at least 13 homes, a kindergarten and about 40 vehicles were destroyed after a drone attack, regional officials said.

The Prosecutor General’s office announced that seven people, including a 10-year-old boy, were injured in Sumi.

Ukrainian strikes on Russian fuel facilities

On Russian soil, two Ukrainian drones struck fuel facilities at one of Russia’s largest iron ore plants today without causing any injuries, while the plant is still operating normally, Russian officials and the plant’s owner said.

Kursk Governor Roman Starovoit said a second drone struck the Mikhailovsky GOK iron ore plant, which is owned by Metalloinvest, Russia’s biggest iron ore producer, about two hours after the first such attack was announced.

The governor posted a message on social media that Russian air defenses were operational and urged citizens to remain calm.

The company said in separate statements after the two strikes that the plant was operating normally.

“There were no victims. At the moment, the necessary measures are being taken to extinguish the fire,” he said.

Starovoit blamed Kiev for the attacks on the factory in Zheleznogorsky district of Kursk region, which is known for its iron mines and is about 90 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. He later said there was a risk of missile strikes in the area.

Mikhailovsky GOK is one of the largest iron ore mining and processing facilities in Russia.

Ukrainian drone strikes have repeatedly hit Russian oil refineries and other infrastructure in recent weeks. The Kursk region was regularly attacked during the war.

Mikhailovsky GOK was previously attacked in December.

Separately today, authorities in Russia’s Belgorod and Voronezh regions, which are also regular targets for attack near the front line in Ukraine, announced that they too had been targeted by Ukrainian drones.

According to Telegram’s Baza channel, which is close to Russian law enforcement, the drones shot down over Voronezh were attempting to attack a military air base and an oil depot.