Russian Strikes Target Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure, French Photojournalist Killed in Drone Attack

Massive Russian Strikes Hit Ukrainian Energy Facilities

Overnight into Friday, October 3, 2025, Russia conducted a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, described by Ukraine's state-owned gas company Naftogaz as the 'largest mass attack on gas production infrastructure since the beginning of the war'. Ukrainian air forces reported a total of 381 drones and 35 missiles, many of them ballistic, were launched across the country.

The primary targets were gas extraction and processing facilities belonging to Naftogaz in the northeastern Kharkiv and central Poltava regions. Other regions, including Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, and Kyiv, also experienced hits on important energy facilities. Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi stated that a 'significant portion' of their facilities sustained damage, with some destruction assessed as 'critical'. He condemned the strikes as 'deliberate terror against civilian facilities that provide gas extraction and processing for the normal life of people' and asserted they had 'no military purpose'. The attacks caused power cuts in several regions and injured an 8-year-old child and two women in Poltava. Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed its forces targeted Ukraine's 'military-industrial complex and the gas and energy infrastructure that supports it', stating 'All designated targets were hit'.

French Photojournalist Killed in Eastern Ukraine Drone Attack

On the same day, Friday, October 3, 2025, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed in a Russian drone attack in eastern Ukraine. Lallican, 37, was on assignment for the Carcassonne-based photojournalism agency Hans Lucas and was embedded with Ukrainian forces near the town of Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region.

The attack, reportedly an FPV drone strike, also injured Ukrainian journalist Heorhii Ivanchenko, who was working alongside Lallican. Both journalists were wearing protective gear and bulletproof vests clearly marked 'Press'. Lallican's death is believed to be the first instance of a journalist being killed by a drone in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The killing drew widespread condemnation from international bodies and leaders:

• French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his 'deep sadness' and offered condolences, stating Lallican was 'a victim of a Russian drone strike'.
• The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) labeled the killing a 'war crime' and called for an investigation.
• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Russian and Ukrainian authorities to investigate what 'appears to be a targeted attack', emphasizing that 'Journalists are civilians under international humanitarian law, not combatants'.

Ongoing Conflict and Human Cost

These events underscore the severe risks faced by civilians and journalists in Ukraine, as Russia continues its campaign targeting critical infrastructure and military positions. The simultaneous nature of these incidents highlights the escalating intensity and human cost of the conflict.