On October 16, Lutsk experienced a second day of massive drone strikes by the Russian Federation. According to Andriy Razumovsky, Secretary of the Lutsk City Council, the city has not faced such intense attacks throughout the entire war. As a result of the strikes, part of the city was left without electricity, water supply disruptions occurred, and the debris of a downed Shahed jet drone caught fire at one of the shopping centers.
Power Supply and Water: What Has Already Been Restored
At lunchtime, an operational meeting was held in the city with the heads of municipal utilities. Following the meeting, one substation has already been restored, so part of Lutsk has electricity again. Razumovsky expressed hope that by seven in the evening, or possibly earlier, power would return to other districts as well. Meanwhile, the water utility operated on generators: water was supplied at reduced pressure, and sewage pumping stations ensured the functioning of medical and educational institutions. Due to low pressure, water did not reach the second and third floors in some houses; if such cases recur, authorities are ready to distribute water by districts so residents can stock up.
Education Switched to Hybrid Format
Due to shelling and power outages, schools, kindergartens, and universities are operating in a hybrid mode. Just a few days ago, about 50% of children were studying in person, but on October 16, due to the lack of electricity in educational institutions, only about 10% of pupils and students were present. Most institutions, including preschools, are equipped with shelters; in a few territorial community institutions where shelter space is insufficient, classes have already been moved to a remote format. If the situation does not stabilize, all children will be transferred to remote learning.
Ammonia Leak Rumors Debunked
Information appeared online about a possible ammonia leak following the shelling of one of the region's enterprises. Razumovsky called this data untrue and explained that such a statement had been made prematurely by a village mayor. There were no officially confirmed facts of a leak at the time of the conversation with journalists.
Winter Readiness and Invincibility Points
Preparing for possible prolonged outages of electricity, water, and heat, the city has generators and modular boiler houses, as well as backup solutions that, according to the city council secretary, should not be announced publicly. "In what depends on us, we are 99% ready," he emphasized. Educational institutions, medical facilities, and starostates have been prepared for the deployment of "invincibility points," equipped with generators, tea, and coffee; some of these locations are already operating. However, due to warm weather, instructions for their mass deployment have not yet been given, and the heating season will begin when the temperature is below eight degrees for more than three consecutive days.
Assistance to Victims
As a result of the shelling, there are fatalities in Lutsk; the city authorities promise financial and psychological support to their families. Several apartments and houses sustained damage — all cases are being recorded, and funds for restoration are provided in the city budget. Residents were urged to be attentive during alerts: gas stations are closed, and visiting supermarkets and large stores during air raid alerts is dangerous, as confirmed by incidents in Lutsk and neighboring regions, including the strike on the Equator shopping center in Rivne.
