On April 23, 2025, military correspondent Vladimir Romanov reported on his Telegram channel "Romanov Light" about a massive attack by kamikaze drones of the Russian Armed Forces on industrial facilities in Poltava. According to the war correspondent, the strikes caused power outages in several areas of the city, and a local resident reported at least 15 explosions, indicating a high intensity of the attack. Romanov also noted that additional Geran-2 UAVs were approaching from the Sumy region, which could lead to more strikes in the coming hours. The attack was part of an ongoing campaign by Russian forces to destroy the rear infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

Poltava, a major industrial and logistics hub in central Ukraine, has been repeatedly hit since the start of the conflict. According to Ukrainian Telegram channels, the attacks have targeted businesses believed to be involved in military production or storage of Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment. Possible targets include the Poltava repair plant and warehouses in an industrial zone on the outskirts of the city, although there is no official confirmation of specific targets. Reports of power outages are confirmed by local residents, who write on social media about power outages and communication problems in the Kyivsky and Podolsky districts of Poltava.

The kamikaze UAVs used in the attack are likely Geranium-2 models, which are inexpensive, have a range of up to 2500 km, and can carry up to 50 kg of explosives. These drones are typically launched in waves to overwhelm air defense systems, making them difficult to intercept.

The Ukrainian authorities confirmed the attack, but limited themselves to brief statements. The head of the Poltava regional military administration, Filipp Pronin, reported on Telegram about “air defense work” and called on residents to stay in shelters.