A dam on the Belgorod Reservoir in western Russia was damaged last week following what officials described as a Ukrainian drone and missile strike. The attack caused structural harm to the sluice gates and led to a noticeable drop in the reservoir’s water level, according to regional authorities and Russia’s Federal Water Resources Agency.

The Belgorod regional governor said emergency crews were deployed after the strike to assess the damage and stabilise water levels. Preliminary reports indicate a water-level decrease of around one metre and ongoing uncontrolled leakage through the damaged section. A local state of emergency remains in effect.

Ukrainian military sources said the operation was intended to disrupt Russian supply routes and isolate units near the border city of Vovchansk. Russian officials described the incident as an attack on civilian infrastructure.

The Belgorod Reservoir Dam is primarily used for water management and flood control rather than power generation, but it forms part of a broader regional network of hydraulic structures supporting irrigation, municipal supply, and small hydropower facilities. Engineers and hydropower operators in the region are monitoring potential downstream effects on flow regulation and water availability.

Repair work is expected to take several weeks, though full restoration could require structural reinforcement and new gate installations. The incident follows several previous strikes on water-management assets near the Russia-Ukraine border during the ongoing conflict.