Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-appointed leader in Lugansk, stated today that "last night, Ukrainian armed forces attacked the Bilorichenska mine in the Lugansk Republic, damaging a substation. Due to the power outage, 41 workers are trapped underground."

Lugansk authorities mobilized forces to implement measures to rescue the miners and restore power. Pasechnik said the rescue team had contacted the trapped miners and learned they had a reserve supply of drinking water.

Over 99% of Lugansk's territory is currently under Russian control, except for a small contested portion in the west. War monitoring groups assess that some areas in Lugansk remain in a grey zone, where fighting is ongoing and neither side holds actual control.

A fire caused by a drone attack in a Russia-controlled area of Lugansk on 3/4. _Luganmedia_

Ukraine has significantly increased its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including major oil export hubs in both the Baltic and Black Seas, aiming to reduce Moscow's oil sales revenue, a lifeline for the country's economy.

At least 8 people, including two children, were injured, and several residential buildings were damaged in Ukrainian drone attacks on the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, Russian officials said on 6/4. It remains unclear whether Novorossiysk port, Russia's largest Black Sea export gateway, was targeted.

Ukraine has not yet commented on these reports.

The Russian military previously stated that its air defense units shot down 148 Ukrainian drones within three hours.

In the Russia-controlled area of Donetsk province, Andrei Chertkov, the Russia-appointed head of the administration, said that repair crews had restored power to the two major cities of Donetsk and Makiivka, following Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Previously, Chertkov announced that nearly half a million households had lost power. Restoration efforts continue in areas still without electricity.

Location of Donetsk and Lugansk provinces. _RYV_

Russia has also recently launched continuous nighttime drone attacks on Ukraine. A strike on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa last night killed three people, including one child, a Ukrainian military official said on 6/4.

The Kremlin has recently maintained its demand for Ukraine to withdraw all forces from the rest of the Donbass region, including Donetsk and Lugansk, to end the "hot phase" of the conflict. The Russian side believes that prospects for diplomatic solutions, including an end to hostilities, would be more open if Kiev decides to withdraw its troops.

Kiev has repeatedly rejected this demand, considering it non-negotiable.

Huyen Le (According to Reuters, AFP)